Lichtenfels is a town in the Upper Franconian region of Bavaria, Germany, the administrative seat of Lichtenfels district. It is chiefly known as the German "Basket City". Geography It is situated on the upper course of the river Main, about southeast of Coburg, and northeast of Bamberg. The hilly landscape is called Gottesgarten am Obermain ("God's garden on the upper Main"), referring to the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and Banz Abbey. The Maintal (valley of the Main) goes from East to West. The most important cities of the district are Burgkunstadt, Bad Staffelstein and the district city of Lichtenfels. The Rodach river, a tributary of the Main, runs through the area and reaches its greatest width in the northern part between Hochstadt am Main and Lichtenfels. The district of Lichtenfels lies in the western part of the government region (Regierungsbezirk) of Oberfranken (Upper Franconia). It is surrounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Coburg, Kronach, Kulmbach, Bayreuth and Bamberg. The southern bank of the Main stretches up to the mountain range of the Franconian Jura (Fränkische Alb) beneath the Staffelberg close to Bad Staffelstein. The northern bank of the Main stretches up to the Itz-Baunach Highlands. Administrative division The town is divided into several districts: Buch am Forst, Degendorf, Eichig, Gnellenroth, Hammer, Isling, Klosterlangheim, Kösten, Köttel, Krappenroth, Lahm, Mistelfeld, Mönchkröttendorf, Oberlangheim, Oberwallenstadt, Reundorf, Roth, Rothmannsthal, Schney, Schönsreuth, Seehof, Seubelsdorf, Stetten, Stöcken, Tiefenroth, Trieb, Unterwallenstadt und Weingarten. History Lichtenfels was first mentioned in 1142 and chartered in 1231. That was titled and conferred from Otto III, Count Palatine of Burgundy. After the expiration of the Meranians (Meranier) in 1248 Lichtenfels became part of the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg (Hochstift Bamberg). With those and with the Secularization in 1802 incorporate to the Prince-electorate (Kurfürstentum) and later to the Kingdom of Bavaria (Königreich Bayern). The Lichtenfelser are also called, in a sneering kind of way, the scoopers of the pool (Tümpelschöpfer). This name they obtained from the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), from attempting to retrieve hidden sunken treasures in a pond, which they could not empty out due to rapidly running groundwater. Economy Owing to the success of numerous local middle class enterprises, the town of 20,000 has an above average occupational quota. The backbone of the local economy is formed by businesses in various industry sectors such as manufacturing, with an upholstery industry and its suppliers as well