ULM

city, Baden-Wrttemberg Land (state), southwestern Germany, on the left bank of the Danube River at its junction with the Iller and the Blau, opposite the Bavarian town of Neu Ulm. It was first mentioned as a royal domain in 854 and was chartered in the 12th century by the Hohenstaufen emperors. It played a leading part in the town leagues and wars of the 14th and 15th centuries, becoming a free imperial city with extensive territorial authority. Ulm's location at the hub of important trade routes and its prominence in the manufacture of linen and fustian brought it great prosperity in the Middle Ages. It became Protestant in 1530 and declined after the religious French wars of the 16th and 17th centuries. It passed to Bavaria in 1802, losing its territories and immunities, and in 1810 it was ceded to Wrttemberg. In 1869 the former suburb of Neu Ulm on the Danube's right bank was chartered as a Bavarian town. By the mid-20th century Ulm had expanded industrially and commercially to become the economic hub of the area. Although it was severely damaged in World War II, most of the important buildings have been repaired and many medieval walls, gates, and fountains survive. The Gothic Mnster (cathedral), founded in 1377 and restored and completed in 1890, escaped damage; its tower, one of the highest in the world (528 ft ), dominates the city. Other notable landmarks include the town hall, built as a warehouse for weavers, textile merchants, and saddlers (1370, extended in the 20th century), the Neuer Bau (158593), and the Schwrhaus (1613), where the freemen and the town council annually swore to maintain the city's constitution. A major road, rail, and communications centre, Ulm's industries include the manufacture of motor vehicles and machinery, electrical equipment, and diversified light manufacturing. Ulm University was founded in 1967. The city has an unusual Bread Museum displaying breads typical of ancient Egypt and of medieval times. Pop. (1989 est.) 106,508.