Stein (East Franconian: Schdah) is a town in the district of Fürth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 7 km south of Fürth, and 7 km southwest of Nuremberg (centre). Geography Stein is located in the metropolitan area Nürnberg/Fürth/Erlangen in Middle Franconia, Bavaria and is a part of the district of Fürth. It adjoins to Nuremberg in the north-west and lies on the left bank of the river Rednitz. Neighboring municipalities are Nuremberg, Rohr, Roßtal, Zirndorf and Oberasbach. Stein is divided into 11 districts: History Stein has first been mentioned in a document dating back to 1296. The origin of the settlement is linked to the first Rednitzbrücke, a bridge which first crossed the river Rednitz. It was referred to as “Steinbruke” and probably caused the town's naming. In 1498, the two famous sculptors Veit Stoss and Adam Kraft were appointed as counselors for construction works on the bridge. Between the 15th and the 17th century, Stein was completely destroyed three times. After the two Margrave Wars, which took place between 1449 and 1552, the city was left burned to ashes. In the summer of 1632, King Gustav Adolf of Sweden confronted Albrecht von Wallenstein near Zirndorf in the Battle of the Alte Veste, which was part of the Thirty Years' War. Stein was no setting of the battle but was devastated during the troop's retreat. In 1660, the Old Church (Alte Kirche) was built. Stein's history is closely linked to its pencil industry. The first manufacturers of pencils have already settled in the town in 1717. In 1761, the company A.W.Faber-Castell was founded in Stein by Kaspar Faber, a carpenter, who had moved there from Langenzenn a few years before.The castel is open for visitors on certain times a year. In 1806, Stein became a part of the Kingdom of Bavaria. In 1861, the Martin-Luther Church was inaugurated and in 1906, the construction of the new Faber-Castell Castle was finished. In the same year, the company Möbel Krügel was founded in Stein. Due to the local government reform in Bavaria, Stein was integrated into the district of Fürth in 1972. Before, the City of Nuremberg had made several unsuccessful attempts to incorporate Stein. Stein received its town charter in 1977. International relations Stein is twinned with: Guéret, France (since July 8, 1990) Falkenstein, Germany (since November 9, 1990) Puck, Poland (since May 1, 2004) Makarska, Croatia Culture and leisure