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Commune of Saverne Château des Rohan in Saverne
Location
Coordinates	48°44′32″N, 7°21′46″E
Administration
Country	France
Region	Alsace
Department	Bas-Rhin (sous-préfecture)
Arrondissement	Saverne
Canton	Saverne (chief town)
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes de la région de Saverne
Mayor	Thierry Carbiener (2001-2008)
Statistics
Altitude	177 m–463 m (avg. 200 m)
Land area¹	26.01 km²
Population² (1999)	11.201
- Density (1999)	430.6/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	67437/ 67700
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Saverne (German Zabern) is a town and commune of France in the région of Alsace, situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km (27 m.) N.W. of Strasbourg. It is a sous-préfecture of the Bas-Rhin département.

The emblem of the town is a unicorn. Legend has it that a unicorn's horn was found in one of the nearby castles in ruins. It is more likely that a narval's tooth was discovered and mistaken for a unicorn's horn Its principal building, the Château des Rohan, is the former residence of the bishops of Strasbourg, rebuilt by Cardinal de Rohan in 1779, it was used by the Germans as barracks. There is also a 15th century church and an antiquarian museum.

In the vicinity are the ruined castles of Haut-Barr, Grand Geroldseck, Ochsenstein and Greifenstein. Hence a beautiful road, immortalized by Goethe in Dichtung und Wahrheit, leads across the Vosges to Pfalzburg.

It is also known for its famous Rose Garden, locally known as La roseraie. It is also the host of the International Contest of New Roses every year. The Garden itself blesses visitors with over 350 varieties of roses.[1]

Saverne (Tres Tabernae Cesaris (Ceasar's three taverns, so called because in the older days there were three taverns on the way to the Lorraine plateau where they would change oxens due to the steep incline) was an important place in the time of the Roman Empire, and, after being destroyed by the Alamanni, was rebuilt by the emperor Julian.

During the Peasants' War the town was occupied, in 1525, by the insurgents, who were driven out in their turn by Duke Anton of Lorraine. It suffered much from the ravages of the Thirty Years' War, but the episcopal palace, then destroyed, was subsequently rebuilt, and in 1852 was converted by Louis Napoleon into a place of residence for widows of knights of the Legion of Honour.

Saverne was conquered by the German empire, and annexed by the French after World War I.

In 1913 a German officer insulted a group of Alsatian recruits by calling them "Wackes", which is a highly pejorative term for Alsatian. This led to a demonstration by the city's people which caused an exaggerated military counterreaction (e.g. illegal arrests). This event gave rise to the term Zabernism (from the German name of the town), meaning abuse of military authority, or unwarranted aggression.

Historical population:

• 1900: 8,499.

Neighboring communes: Altenheim - Dettwiller - Eckartswiller - Ernolsheim-lès-Saverne - Friedolsheim – Furchhausen – Gottenhouse – Gottesheim – Haegen – Hattmatt – Landersheim – Lupstein– Maennolsheim – Monswiller – Ottersthal – Otterswiller – Printzheim – Reinhardsmunster – Saessolsheim – Saint-Jean-Saverne – Steinbourg – Thal-Marmoutier – Waldolwisheim – Westhouse-Marmoutier – Wolschheim - Marmoutier