Oldest pubs and oldest stores

The place was first mentioned in a document from 973. It fell under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, and a stone castle was built, around which the settlement congregated. A market is attested in 1119. Torgau belonged to the duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, which in 1356 was raised to be the Electorate of Saxony. After the last Ascanian duke died without issue in 1423, the Electorate passed to the Wettin dynasty, which took up its residence at Torgau. After 1485 Friedrich III, Elector of Saxony and his successors had Schloss Hartenfels (Hartenfels Castle) at Torgau built. During the Reformation, the town council closed all monasteries in 1523. Citizens of Torgau destroyed paintings and statues of saints in the churches and stormed the Franciscan monastery. "Spielwaren Carl Löbner" is the oldest toy store in Germany. The first documented mention of the shop dates back to 1685. The company has always been passed down from father to son and is currently run by the twelfth generation. At the end of 1685 the master wood turner Christoph Loebner opened his wood turning workshop in Torgau and made wooden toys. At the time of his grandson Carl Loebner, company names were first officially registered, giving the company the name it still uses today. In 1780 Johann-George Loebner managed to build the house, which is still used today, and continued to manufacture wooden toys there, which he initially sold at the local markets and at the Leipzig Trade Fair. His initial product range included wooden dolls, drumsticks, spinning tops, skittles, whistles and billiard balls. From the sixth generation, the Loebners were pure merchants. Own production was given up. In 2010, the family company Spielwaren Carl Loebner celebrated its 325th anniversary. www.carl-loebner.de

Marseille, today the second most populous city in France, was founded around 600 BC by Greek settlers. It was known to the ancient Greeks as Massalia. There were always conflicts with the Celtic tribes that ruled Gaul. 125 BC Massalia summoned the troops of the Roman Empire for help against the attacks of Gallic tribes. During the course of the war, the entire territory of southern Gaul was annexed by the Romans as the province of Gallia Narbonensis. The city itself was able to retain its independence for several decades but in 49 BC it was finally conquered and integrated into the province of Narbonensis. At the beginning of the 5th century AD, the monastery of Saint-Victor was founded, which was to become the residence of the bishops of Marseille from 750 to 960. In 481 Marseille fell to the Visigoths, 508 to the Ostrogoths and 536 to the Franks. Destroyed by the Saracens, the city was rebuilt in the 10th century and placed under the Vicomtes de Marseille. For a few years, Marseille was an independent republic but when Charles of Anjou, brother of King Louis IX. of France, became Count of Provence, he submitted to Marseille. In 1423 Alfonso V of Aragon conquered and devastated the city. René, Count of Provence, rebuilt it and after the death of his successor, Count Charles of Maine, it became part of the French crown in 1481. La Maison Empereur is said to be the oldest hardware store in France, founded in 1827. Today this is a large general store spanning several houses and two floors. La Maison Empereur sells rarities that have been around for decades, often not found elsewhere. I spent hours in this shop and found goods I didn't know still existed. It was a trip into memory and - I could buy the items and take them home. The best shop in Marseille - and not only there. Meanwhile, there is now a webshop, but nothing beats the real store empereur.fr/fr

A Roman settlement, named "Aeminium" existed here. When the neighbouring town "Conimbriga" got conquered and destroyed by the Suebes in 468, the survivors moved to "Aeminium" - and renamed it. The Visigoths under King Wittiza named the town "Eminio" later. In 714 the town was conquered by Muslim troops, who changed the name again. Coimbra was finally recaptured in 1064 by King Fernando de Castilla y León. Coimbra became the second capital of the Kingdom of Portugal (after Guimarãesin) 1139, a status that moved to Lisbon in 1256. The University of Coimbra, founded by Denis of Portugal (aka "Dom Dinis") in 1290, is one of the oldest in Europe. Two shoe stores ("sapataria") in a narrow lane obviously could not exist side by side.

After the Romans left, the north became a patchwork of warring Celtic tribes. In the 7th century, the region was invaded by the Angles, a Germanic tribe that moved westwards from Northumbria. From around 870, the area was colonised by Vikings from Dublin and the Hebrides and Danes from Yorkshire. The Norman conquest of north Cumbria took place in 1092 under the Conquerer´s son William Rufus, who retained Carlisle and Penrith and as demesne. The Norman rulers thereafter held Penrith as a crown estate From 1242 to 1295 Penrith and dhe area around was in the hands of the King of Scots, in return for renouncing his claims to Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland. King Henry III had been reluctant to cede Penrith to the Scots, as it was a good source of Crown income. Tensions between the English Crown's agents and the Scottish agents attempting to defend the rights of the Scottish king and his tenants ocurred Established in 1742, N Arnison & Sons claims to be the oldest family run clothing retailer in the UK.

In the 7th century, Eanswith, granddaughter of Æthelberht of Kent, founded a nunnery in Folkestone. In the 13th century the village was part of the "Cinque Ports", which led to its development into a prosperous trading port. At the beginning of the Tudor period, Folkestone was granted town rights. As in other south coast settlements, smuggling developed here in the 18th century. The connection to the railway network in 1843 had a major impact on the development of the town. During the Edwardian era, Folkestone was considered the most fashionable holiday resort of the time, and was visited by members of the royal family and the English aristocracy. After two world wars and the boom in overseas package holidays, the town experienced a rapid decline. The British Lion is the oldest pub in Folkstone. It opened in 1460.

"Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem claims to have been established in 1189 and so to be the oldest pub in England. The earliest known reference to the current was in 1799. It is believed that the pub was named "The Pilgrim" before that date. It is actuall one of several pubs claiming to be the oldest in England, including "Ye Olde Salutation Inn" and "The Bell Inn", both as well in Nottingham.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". -- "Filos" is a very popular restaurant/pub in the Südstadt quarter offering mediterranian food, wine and "Kölsch"-beer since 1982. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup large screens were installed inside and outside the building. On June 27 the guests followed the game South Korea vs Germany. South Korea won by 2:0 - and the German national team left Russia the following day. Game over! filoskoeln.de