Editing Merano (section)

==History==
Archaic names of the city are ''Mairania'' (from AD 857) and ''an der Meran'' (from the 15th century).<ref>Egon Kühebacher, ''Die Ortsnamen Südtirols'', Vol. 1 (2000), lemma ''Meran''</ref> In 17th-century [[Latin language|Latin]], the city was called ''Meranum''.<ref>[[Johann Jacob Hofmann]], ''[[Lexicon Universale]]'' (1698), lemma [http://www.uni-mannheim.de/mateo/camenaref/hofmann/hof4/s0588b.html 'Tirolis']</ref> 

===Origin===
[[File:Karte der Umgebung von Meran.jpg|thumb|left|Historical map of the city and surrounding area (1888)]]

The area has been inhabited since the third millennium BC, as shown by the presence of [[menhir]]s and other finds. The story of the city proper began in 15 BC when the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] occupied the [[Adige]] valley founding a road station, ''Statio Maiensis''.

The settlement was first mentioned in an 857 deed as ''Mairania''. The Counts at [[Castle Tyrol]] elevated Merano to the status of a [[German town law|city]] during the 13th century and made it the capital of their [[County of Tyrol]]. After the county had been handed over to the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg dynasty]] in 1363 upon the abdication of [[Margaret, Countess of Tyrol]], in 1420 Duke [[Frederick IV, Duke of Austria|Friedrich IV]] of [[Duchy of Austria|Austria]] moved the Tyrolean court to [[Innsbruck]]. Though Merano remained the official capital until 1848, it subsequently lost its predominant position and almost all its importance as an economic hub across the roads connecting Italy and Germany. The important mint was also moved to [[Hall in Tirol]] in 1477.<ref>https://www.muenze-hall.at/en/COINING/MUeNZ-AUFTRAGSPRAeGUNG {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>

===Modern history===
The [[Tyrolean Rebellion 1809|Tyrolean Rebellion of 1809]] against the [[First French Empire|French]] occupation drew attention again to Merano. In that year, on the Küchelberg above the city, a peasants' army eked out a victory against the united French and [[Kingdom of Bavaria|Bavarian]] forces before their revolt was finally crushed. After [[World War I]], under the [[Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919)|Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye]], Merano became part of the [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Kingdom of Italy]] with the rest of the southern part of the former [[Cisleithania]]n crown land of Tyrol.

During the [[Nazi]] occupation of the region in 1943–5, the Meranese Jewish population was almost completely [[Holocaust|deported and murdered]] within concentration camps.<ref>{{Citation |author=Sabine Mayr |contribution = The Annihilation of the Jewish Community of Meran
|editor=Georg Grote, Hannes Obermair|title=A Land on the Threshold. South Tyrolean Transformations, 1915–2015|year=2017|publisher=Peter Lang|location=Oxford, Bern, New York|isbn=978-3-0343-2240-9|pages= 53–75}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===

[[File:Postbruecke Meran 3.jpg|thumb|right|The city's coat of arms on the ''Postbrücke'' (postal bridge)]]

The city's [[coat of arms]] depicts the red Tyrolean eagle sitting on a wall with four pieces of Ghibelline battlements and three arches that symbolize the city. The arms is known from the 14th century and the oldest seal dates from 1353, while the coloured one since 1390. In a 1759 image, the eagle is represented with a crown and a green wreath of honour. After World War I and the annexation of the city from Austria-Hungary to Italy, it was given a new coat of arms in 1928, which looked similar to the old one, but with five parts of the battlements and the arches with the gates opened on a lawn of shamrock. A mural crown was placed above the shield.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/ita/m/meran.htm |title=Meran – Merano |author=Ralf Hartemink |year=1996 |work=Heraldry of the World |access-date=17 June 2011}}</ref> The five parts of the battlement represented the districts of Maia Bassa, Merano (old city), Maia Alta, Quarazze and [[Avelengo]], which were incorporated into the city by the Italian fascists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rathaus_Meran_3.jpg |title=Image of the coat of arms during the Italian fascist period |author=Gryffindor |year=2011 |publisher=Wikimedia Commons |access-date=17 June 2011}}</ref> After World War II, Avelengo became independent again and the historical coat of arms was restored.<ref>{{cite book |last=Prünster |first=Hans |title=Die Wappen der Gemeinden Südtirols |trans-title=The coat of arms of the municipalities of South Tyrol |series=Etschlandbücher |volume=7 |year=1972 |publisher=Landesverband für Heimatpflege in Südtirol |location=Bozen |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gall |first=Franz |title=Österreichischer Wappenkalender |year=1960 |language=de}}</ref>