Borgentreich is a municipality in the Höxter district of North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany .
73-449: Borgentreich lies roughly 20 km south of Brakel and 10 km northeast of Warburg . The constituent community of Borgholz lies on the foothill of a high ridge northeast of Borgentreich (main town). Borgentreich consists of the following 12 centres: Borgentreich was mentioned for the first time in 1280 under the name Borguntriche when Otto von Rietberg , the Bishop of Paderborn ,
146-505: A charge from Borgholz's coat of arms, namely the fleur-de-lis , to reflect the former town's amalgamation into Borgentreich. The "embattled" (heraldically speaking) area in the bottom of the shield is the local variant of the widespread practice of representing in the civic coat of arms the number of constituent communities in an amalgamated municipality such as Borgentreich. There are 12 battlements shown here, one for each constituent community. [1] Honorary citizens: Sons and daughters of
219-592: A church with an unusually high and massive tower built in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was likely used as a flight tower (for refuge), and has Romanesque window openings in the belfry, as well as a remarkable Baroque altar . This was originally in the Abdinghofkirche in Paderborn, but was moved here. Town council's 26 seats are apportioned as follows, in accordance with municipal elections held on May 25, 2014: Borgentreich's civic coat of arms has as one charge
292-569: A decisive share in Brakel's development, being as they were part of the leading class in many Westphalian towns. The Hellweglinie , a mediaeval commercial road network that ran through Brakel, was the basis for long-distance trade. As a principal town of the Hanseatic city of Paderborn, Brakel became a member of the Hanseatic League, putting Brakel in early contact with Hanseatic trade. Particularly in
365-416: A document from 1295, however, Borgholz is already called a town. After it was founded, roughly 500 people, according to a careful estimate, lived in the town. From an 1831 cadastral plan of the town, it is clear that the whole town, along with the castle, was ringed by a wall enclosing an area of 6.22 ha. Drawn from this is the conclusion that Borgholz had never spread beyond its original town walls. Within
438-549: A framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. The two main parties are, as on the federal level, the centre-right Christian Democratic Union and the centre-left Social Democratic Party . From 1966 to 2005, North Rhine-Westphalia was continuously governed by the Social Democrats or SPD-led governments. The state's legislative body is the Landtag ("state parliament house"). It may pass laws within
511-531: A general election to elect at least 181 members of the Landtag. Only parties who win at least 5% of the votes cast may be represented in parliament. The Landtag, the parliamentary parties and groups consisting of at least 7 members of parliament have the right to table legal proposals to the Landtag for deliberation. The law that is passed by the Landtag is delivered to the Minister-President, who, together with
584-469: A point in its favour. However, any ambition that Brakel had to become the new district's capital was never realized, as Höxter kept the district seat. Between 1966 and 1995, Brakel was a garrison town, hosting the 43rd Artillery Battalion from Belgium. The town's development strong points today are as follows: Brakel's Hanseatic roots go back to its early history and stretch through the Middle Ages . From
657-527: A rather unusual cross with a spike on the bottom. The old arms, which simply showed in gules a cross pattée Or, had this same spiked cross, although all four of the cross's arms were the same length. This kind of cross can also be seen in Verden 's coat of arms, and may derive from the arms borne by the princely bishopric of Paderborn. The old composition is known from a town seal from 1341. The newer arms, still used now, were granted on July 19, 1976, and incorporate
730-461: A seal whose composition matches the blazon given above. A seal stamp used beginning in 1316 is still kept in the town archive today. When the coat of arms was newly adopted in 1907, the town chose to have the 1316 seal stamp composition in its arms. The colours seen in the inescutcheon are simply the town's colours, as the old Lords' armorial colours are unknown. In this form, the coat of arms was given Royal approval on 18 March 1908. The town's banner
803-594: A uniform area; there are significant differences, especially in traditional customs, between the Rhineland region on the one hand and the regions of Westphalia and Lippe on the other. Its economy is the largest among German states by GRDP but is below the national average in GRDP per capita . The state of North Rhine-Westphalia was established by the British military administration 's "Operation Marriage" on 23 August 1946 by merging
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#1733094426780876-455: Is a citizens' coalition. Brakel's civic coat of arms might heraldically be described thus: In gules two pointed-roofed towers argent joined at the tops by a decorative gable argent, beneath the gable and between the towers an inescutcheon, in which, in vert three pallets argent across which a raised fess gules, therein three orbs Or. The inescutcheon – the smaller shield within the bigger one – which already appeared on Brakel's coins in 1227,
949-626: Is hosted in Cologne . It is the largest video game convention in Europe. North Rhine-Westphalia has always been Germany's powerhouse with the largest economy among the German states by GDP figures . In the 1950s and 1960s, Westphalia was known as Land von Kohle und Stahl ( Land of Coal and Steel ). In the post-World War II recovery, the Ruhr was one of the most important industrial regions in Europe, and contributed to
1022-656: Is situated near Selfkant close to the Dutch border, the easternmost near Höxter on the Weser . The southernmost point lies near Hellenthal in the Eifel region. The northernmost point is the NRW-Nordpunkt near Rahden in the northeast of the state. The Nordpunkt has located the only 100 km to the south of the North Sea coast. The deepest natural dip is arranged in the district Zyfflich in
1095-525: Is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle of the upper half. Written above the coat of arms is "Stadt", and underneath "Brakel" ("Stadt Brakel" means "Town of Brakel") The town's flag is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle, but towards the hoist. Brakel lies at the crossroads of Federal Highways ( Bundesstraßen ) B 64 ( Münster - Paderborn -Brakel- Seesen - Halle - Leipzig ) and B 252 ( Blomberg -Brakel- Korbach - Marburg ). The town also lies on
1168-665: Is strong in the eastern and northern parts with numerous free churches. Münster and especially Paderborn are thought of as Catholic. Osnabrück is divided almost equally between Catholicism and Protestantism. After the defeat of the Prussian Army at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt , the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807 made the Westphalian territories part of the Kingdom of Westphalia from 1807 to 1813. It
1241-501: Is the fourth-largest German state by size. North Rhine-Westphalia features 30 of the 81 German municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants, including Cologne (over 1 million), the state capital Düsseldorf (630,000), Dortmund and Essen (about 590,000 inhabitants each) and other cities predominantly located in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area , the largest urban area in Germany and
1314-504: Is the arms of the Lords of Brakel, who were the town's overlords until their male line died out in 1268. On the south side of the Town Hall is found an armorial stone, believed to be from the 16th century, that only shows the Lords' arms. Even written records from Paderborn in the 18th century contain only this inner shield as Brakel's coat of arms. From the late 13th century, the town of Brakel used
1387-689: The Amt of Dringenberg-Gehrden. The Romanesque monastery church has Westphalia 's greatest peal of bells. In the Klosterpark (Monastery Park) stands Germany's third-oldest linden tree, the Zwölfapostel Linde ( Twelve Apostles Linden), which was planted by the Benedictine nuns shortly after the monastery was founded. There are 961 inhabitants in Gehrden. Already first mentioned in the year 800, Hembsen lies in
1460-750: The Duchy of Cleves and about a century later Upper Guelders and Moers also became Prussian. At the peace of Basel in 1795, the whole of the left bank of the Rhine was resigned to France, and in 1806, the Rhenish princes all joined the Confederation of the Rhine . After the Congress of Vienna, Prussia was awarded the entire Rhineland , which included the Grand Duchy of Berg , the ecclesiastic electorates of Trier and Cologne ,
1533-719: The Ems , the Lippe , and the Weser . The Rhine is by far the most important river in North Rhine-Westphalia: it enters the state as Middle Rhine near Bad Honnef, where still being part of the Mittelrhein wine region . It changes into the Lower Rhine near Bad Godesberg and leaves North Rhine-Westphalia near Emmerich at a width of 730 metres. Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands,
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#17330944267801606-554: The Germanic tribes who fought at this battle came from the area of Westphalia. Charlemagne is thought to have spent considerable time in Paderborn and nearby parts. His Saxon Wars also partly took place in what is thought of as Westphalia today. Popular legends link his adversary Widukind to places near Detmold , Bielefeld , Lemgo , Osnabrück, and other places in Westphalia. Widukind
1679-516: The Heggedörfer . Between 1142 and 1147, these three villages had their first documentary mention. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Gehrden Monastery had holdings in these three villages. The Heggedörfer, along with the town of Gehrden, were amalgamated into the greater community of Brakel after the old district of Warburg was dissolved. Beller has a population of 187 . The village is named by
1752-750: The Moselle and Lower Lorraine on the Meuse. The Ottonian dynasty had both Saxon and Frankish ancestry. As the central power of the Holy Roman Emperor weakened, the Rhineland split into numerous small, independent, separate vicissitudes and special chronicles. The old Lotharingian divisions became obsolete, although the name survives for example in Lorraine in France, and throughout the Middle Ages and even into modern times,
1825-575: The Paderborn - Holzminden - Braunschweig railway line, and has a station . The station is served by, among others, hourly trains from the "Egge-Bahn" (Paderborn - Holzminden ), run by the NordWestBahn belonging to Transdev . The Annentag in Brakel is the biggest church fair in the Weserbergland , held every year on the weekend of the first Sunday in August. Brakel maintains partnership links with
1898-959: The Stemmer Berge . The terrain rises towards the south and in the east of the state into parts of Germany's Central Uplands . These hill ranges are the Weser Uplands – including the Egge Hills , the Wiehen Hills , the Wesergebirge and the Teutoburg Forest in the east, the Sauerland , the Bergisches Land , the Siegerland and the Siebengebirge in the south, as well as the left-Rhenish Eifel in
1971-534: The province of Westphalia and the northern parts of the Rhine Province , both being political divisions of the former state of Prussia within the German Reich . On 21 January 1947, the former state of Lippe was merged with North Rhine-Westphalia. The constitution of North Rhine-Westphalia was then ratified through a referendum . The first written account of the area was by its conqueror, Julius Caesar ,
2044-648: The 13th and 14th centuries, Brakel developed itself by fostering long-distance trade activities as far away as the Baltic Sea coast. Bearing witness to these Hanseatic activities are Brakel coins showing up in Baltic Sea towns at the time (15th century). On 25 June 1983, representatives from 20 former Hanseatic towns, in an initiative arising from the towns' common history, founded the Wesphalian Hanseatic League ( Westfälischer Hansebund ), with Brakel as one of
2117-611: The 15th century, Natzungen was two communities, called Obernatzungen and Niedernatzungen ("Upper" and "Lower" respectively). Niedernatzungen, which was near Borgholz railway station, is gone, and it is believed that it either fell victim to the Soest Feud or was destroyed by the Hussites , leaving only Obernatzungen, now called Natzungen. Since 1980, the former town hall in Borgentreich has housed Germany's first organ museum. Natzungen has
2190-610: The 15th century. In the outer regions, the Brede Monastery was founded. The Thirty Years' War also left traces in Brakel. In 1803, Prussia took over the town and appointed Brakel a district seat. After a brief period of French rule in Napoleonic times, the district seat had to be yielded permanently to Höxter in 1832. On 1 January 1970, the formerly independent communities of Beller, Bellersen, Bökendorf, Erkeln, Hembsen, Hinnenburg, Istrup, Rheder, Riesel and Schmechten merged with
2263-646: The 17th and 18th centuries, but most of it remained divided duchies and other feudal areas of power. The Peace of Westphalia of 1648, signed in Münster and Osnabrück, ended the Thirty Years' War . The concept of nation-state sovereignty resulting from the treaty became known as " Westphalian sovereignty ". As a result of the Protestant Reformation , there is no dominant religion in Westphalia. Catholicism and Lutheranism are on relatively equal footing. Lutheranism
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2336-580: The Bishops of Paderborn in the 13th century. The Archbishops of Cologne were trying to hem the Bishops' domain in with a ring of towns and castles . The order to fortify the village high over the Jordan Valley was issued by Bishop Otto of Paderborn in 1290. He transferred to Bertold Schuwen a position as castle overseer ( Burgmannsitz ), the first one in the episcopal castle of Borgholz . A document of founding, or one granting town rights, has never been found. In
2409-492: The German Wirtschaftswunder . As of the late 1960s, repeated crises led to contractions of these industrial branches. On the other hand, producing sectors, particularly in mechanical engineering and metal and iron working industry, experienced substantial growth. Despite this structural change and an economic growth which was under national average, the 2018 GDP of 705 billion euro (1/4 of the total German GDP) made NRW
2482-584: The Oese Valley on the eastern slopes of the Eggegebirge, Gehrden is said to be a tourism destination. The former Benedictine abbey there, founded in 1142, had great influence and several landholdings in the Warburger Land until its seizure by the state in 1810. Gehrden was incorporated into the greater community of Brakel after the old Warburg District was dissolved in 1975. Until then, Gehrden had belonged to
2555-571: The Rhine splits into many branches. The Pader , which flows entirely within the city of Paderborn , is considered Germany's shortest river. For many, North Rhine-Westphalia is synonymous with industrial areas and urban agglomerations. However, the largest part of the state is used for agriculture (almost 52%) and forests (25%). The state consists of five government regions ( Regierungsbezirke ), divided into 31 districts ( Kreise ) and 23 urban districts ( kreisfreie Städte ). In total, North Rhine-Westphalia has 396 municipalities (1997), including
2628-497: The Rhine, and by the end of the fifth century had conquered all the lands that had formerly been under Roman influence. By the eighth century, the Frankish dominion was firmly established in western Germany and northern Gaul, but at the same time, to the north, Westphalia was being taken over by Saxons pushing south. The Merovingian and Carolingian Franks eventually built an empire which controlled first their Ripuarian kin, and then
2701-703: The Rhine, but the Romans never succeeded in gaining a firm footing on the right bank, where the Sugambri neighboured several other tribes including the Tencteri and Usipetes . North of the Sigambri and the Rhine region were the Bructeri . As the power of the Roman empire declined, many of these tribes came to be seen collectively as Ripuarian Franks and they pushed forward along both banks of
2774-409: The Saxons. On the division of the Carolingian Empire at the Treaty of Verdun , the part of the province to the east of the river fell to East Francia , while that to the west remained with the kingdom of Lotharingia . By the time of Otto I (d. 973), both banks of the Rhine had become part of the Holy Roman Empire , and the Rhenish territory was divided between the duchies of Upper Lorraine on
2847-403: The city of Kranenburg with 9.2 m above sea level in the northwest of the state. Though, the deepest point overground results from mining. The open-pit Hambach reaches at Niederzier a deep of 293 m below sea level. At the same time, this is the deepest human-made dip in Germany. The most important rivers flowing at least partially through North Rhine-Westphalia include: the Rhine , the Ruhr ,
2920-434: The competency of the state, e.g. cultural matters, the education system, matters of internal security, i.e. the police, building supervision, health supervision and the media; as opposed to matters that are reserved to Federal law. North Rhine-Westphalia uses the same electoral system as the Federal level in Germany: " Personalized proportional representation ". Every five years the citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia vote in
2993-404: The economically strongest state of Germany by GRP figures , as well as one of the most important economical areas in the world. Of Germany's top 100 corporations, 37 are based in North Rhine-Westphalia. On a per capita base, however, North Rhine-Westphalia remains one of the weaker among the Western German states. North Rhine-Westphalia attracts companies from both Germany and abroad. In 2009,
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3066-429: The first written reference to "villa brechal" in 836 (in connection with transferring Saint Vitus 's bones from Saint Denis, France, to Corvey ) through to the 12th century, when it was the seat of the Lords of Brakel, the town found itself centrally located by virtue of two old commercial roads that crossed here. Moreover, the topography made expansion possible in the Early Middle Ages. Long-distance traders thereby had
3139-456: The following places: North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia , commonly shortened to NRW , is a state ( Land ) in Western Germany . With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states ( Berlin , Hamburg and Bremen ), it is also the most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of 34,084 km (13,160 sq mi), it
3212-407: The former kingdom, including the town of Osnabrück , had become part of the states of Hanover and Oldenburg . The flag of North Rhine-Westphalia is green-white-red with the combined coats of arms of the Rhineland (white line before green background, symbolizing the river Rhine), Westfalen (the white horse) and Lippe (the red rose). After the establishment of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946,
3285-703: The founding members. The number of members has since risen to 40. The League's goals are, among others, to foster Wesphalian Hanseatic towns' self-awareness, to contribute to their self-presentation and to emphasize commonalities among these Hanseatic towns. Already, since 1984, it has become traditional to hold a yearly Westphalian Hansetag (Hanseatic assembly). The Hansetage are made attractive and informative to visitors with interesting cultural, touristic and sporting events (parades, farmers', craftsmen's and merchants market, theatre, evening events) Town council's 34 seats are apportioned as follows, in accordance with municipal elections held on 13 September 2021: Note: CWG
3358-401: The fourth-largest on the European continent . The location of the Rhine-Ruhr at the heart of the European Blue Banana makes it well connected to other major European cities and metropolitan areas like the Randstad , the Flemish Diamond and the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region . North Rhine-Westphalia was established in 1946 after World War II from the Prussian provinces of Westphalia and
3431-659: The free cities of Aachen and Cologne, and nearly a hundred small lordships and abbeys. The Prussian Rhine province was formed in 1822 and Prussia had the tact to leave the lower Rhenish districts in undisturbed possession of the liberal institutions to which they had become accustomed under the republican rule of the French. In 1920, the districts of Eupen and Malmedy were transferred to Belgium (see German-speaking Community of Belgium ). Around AD 1, numerous incursions occurred through Westphalia and perhaps even some permanent Roman or Romanized settlements. The Battle of Teutoburg Forest took place near Osnabrück and some of
3504-480: The great fish called "Beller", that joined the rITArd UG in 880. Bellersen lies on the edge of the extensive woods in the Bruch Valley. Bellersen is said to be "North Rhine-Westphalia's Model Tourism Village". Bellersen has earned international fame as "Dorf B." in the Judenbuche by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff . Bellersen is home to 704 inhabitants. In 1965, this village celebrated its one-thousandth anniversary of existence. The Schloss Bökendorf (stately home)
3577-501: The interior ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia reported that the number of mosques with a Salafist influence had risen from 3 to 9, which indicated both an actual increase and improved reporting. According to German authorities, Salafism is incompatible with the principles codified in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany , in particular: democracy , the rule of law , and political order based on human rights . The politics of North Rhine-Westphalia takes place within
3650-410: The largest city of Dortmund and the Rhenish cities of Bonn , Cologne and Düsseldorf . 30 of the 80 largest cities in Germany are located within North Rhine-Westphalia. The state's capital is Düsseldorf; the state's largest city is Cologne. In 2022, there were 164,496 births and 234,176 deaths. The following table shows the ten largest cities of North Rhine-Westphalia: The following table shows
3723-440: The middle of the heavily wooded heights of the Nethegau , and has 1,084 inhabitants. Istrup has 707 inhabitants. Rheder has 324 inhabitants and is known for the Schlossbräuerei Rheder , a brewery rich in tradition. The very tasty golden pilsener brewed here is very famous and is consumed by the locals at the several "Schützenfeste" in this region. Some say that Rhederpils is one of the best beers all over Germany, probably even
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#17330944267803796-658: The ministers involved, is required to sign it and announce it in the Law and Ordinance Gazette. These are the minister-presidents of North Rhine-Westphalia : For the current state government, see Wüst cabinet . The state has Aachen Cathedral , the Cologne Cathedral , the Zeche Zollverein in Essen , the Augustusburg Palace in Brühl and the Imperial Abbey of Corvey in Höxter which are all World Heritage Sites . North Rhine-Westphalia hosts film festivals in Cologne , Bonn, Dortmund , Duisburg , Münster , Oberhausen and Lünen . Other large festivals include Rhenish carnivals , Ruhrtriennale . Every year Gamescom
3869-425: The nobility of these areas often sought to preserve the idea of a preeminent duke within Lotharingia, something claimed by the Dukes of Limburg , and the Dukes of Brabant . Such struggles as the War of the Limburg Succession therefore continued to create military and political links between what is now Rhineland-Westphalia and neighbouring Belgium and the Netherlands . In spite of its dismembered condition and
3942-401: The north and northeast, Rhineland-Palatinate to the south and Hesse to the southeast. Approximately half of the state is located in the relative low-lying terrain of the Westphalian Lowland and the Rhineland , both extending broadly into the North German Plain . A few isolated hill ranges are located within these lowlands, among them the Hohe Mark, the Beckum Hills , the Baumberge and
4015-401: The northern part of Rhine Province ( North Rhine ), and the Free State of Lippe by the British military administration in Allied-occupied Germany and became a state of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. The city of Bonn served as the federal capital until the reunification of Germany in 1990 and as the seat of government until 1999. Culturally, North Rhine-Westphalia is not
4088-420: The plains of the Lower Rhine region and parts of the Central Uplands ( die Mittelgebirge ) up to the gorge of Porta Westfalica . The state covers an area of 34,083 km (13,160 sq mi) and shares borders with Belgium ( Wallonia ) in the southwest and the Netherlands ( Limburg , Gelderland and Overijssel ) in the west and northwest. It has borders with the German states of Lower Saxony to
4161-555: The population of the state since 1930. The values until 1960 are the average of the yearly population, from 1965 the population at year end is used. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes Und der Länder As of 2020 , 50% of the population of the state adhered to the Roman Catholic Church , 25% to the Protestant Church in Germany , and 28% of the population is irreligious or adheres to other denominations or religions. North Rhine-Westphalia ranks first in population among German states for both Roman Catholics and Protestants. In 2016,
4234-454: The southwest of the state. The Rothaargebirge in the border region with Hesse rises to height of about 800 m above sea level. The highest of these mountains are the Langenberg , at 843.2 m above sea level, the Kahler Asten (840.7 m) and the Clemensberg (839.2 m). The planimetrically determined centre of North Rhine-Westphalia is located in the south of Dortmund- Aplerbeck in the Aplerbecker Mark (51° 28' N, 7° 33' Ö). Its westernmost point
4307-410: The state's borders is 1,645 km. The following countries and states have a border with North Rhine-Westphalia: North Rhine-Westphalia has a population of approximately 18.1 million inhabitants (more than the entire former East Germany , and slightly more than the Netherlands ) and is centred around the polycentric Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region , which includes the industrial Ruhr region with
4380-411: The sufferings it underwent at the hands of its French neighbours in various periods of warfare, the Rhenish territory prospered greatly and stood in the foremost rank of German culture and progress. Aachen was the place of coronation of the German emperors, and the ecclesiastical principalities of the Rhine bulked largely in German history. Prussia first set foot on the Rhine in 1609 by the occupation of
4453-430: The territories west of the Rhine were occupied by the Eburones and east of the Rhine he reported the Ubii (across from Cologne) and the Sugambri to their north. The Ubii and some other Germanic tribes such as the Cugerni were later settled on the west side of the Rhine in the Roman province of Germania Inferior . Julius Caesar conquered the tribes on the left bank, and Augustus established numerous fortified posts on
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#17330944267804526-400: The town. As part of the 5 November 1974 state law aimed at municipal reform, Höxter district and the old district of Warburg were amalgamated. The formerly independent communities of Auenhausen, Frohnhausen, Hampenhausen and Siddessen, along with the town of Gehrden were made parts of Brakel. There was talk at the time of making Brakel the new district seat, its central location being seen as
4599-568: The town: Brakel, Germany Brakel ( German pronunciation: [ˈbʁaːkl̩] ) is a town in the district of Höxter in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. Brakel lies at the midpoint of the district of Höxter between the Eggegebirge and the Weser in the Oberwälder Land nature area in the old Saxon region of Nethegau. Brakel consists of the following centres: Auenhausen (population 130), Frohnhausen (population 309) and Hampenhausen (population 54) are Brakel's highest constituent communities, and are sometimes also known as
4672-440: The tricolor was first introduced in 1948, but was not formally adopted until 1953. The plain variant of the tricolor is considered the civil flag and state ensign, while government authorities use the state flag ( Landesdienstflagge ) which is defaced with the state's coat of arms . The state ensign can easily be mistaken for a distressed flag of Hungary , as well as the former national flag of Iran (1964–1980). The same flag
4745-456: The urban districts, which are municipalities by themselves. The government regions have an assembly elected by the districts and municipalities, while the Landschaftsverband has a directly elected assembly. The five government regions of North Rhine-Westphalia each belong to one of the two Landschaftsverbände : The state's area covers a maximum distance of 291 km from north to south, and 266 km from east to west. The total length of
4818-400: The walls, however, was still a fair deal of free land which could have been used for expansion. Natzungen's first documentary mention goes back to the year 1036, when Bishop Bruno of Würzburg donated the Sunrike ( between Borgentreich and Eissen ) estate to the Würzburg Church and two Hufe of land to his Ministerialis Richbold and his wife Richeze; this land was in Natesingen . Until
4891-454: The world. Riesel has 610 inhabitants. Schmechten has 224 inhabitants. Siddessen has 504 inhabitants. Population figures are as at 31 December 2003. Brakel had its first documentary mention in 836 as "villa brechal" in writings by the Benedictine monks. After the lords of Brakel died out in the late 13th century, Hinnenburg Castle on a hill above Brakel was inherited by the House of Asseburg , owning it to this day. The medieval castle
4964-411: Was buried in Enger , which is also a subject of a legend. Along with Eastphalia and Engern , Westphalia ( Westfalahi ) was originally a district of the Duchy of Saxony . In 1180, Westphalia was elevated to the rank of a duchy by Emperor Barbarossa . The Duchy of Westphalia comprised only a small area south of the Lippe River . Parts of Westphalia came under Brandenburg-Prussian control during
5037-444: Was founded by Napoleon and was a French vassal state . This state only shared the name with the historical region; it contained only a relatively small part of Westphalia, consisting instead mostly of Hessian and Eastphalian regions. After the Congress of Vienna , the Kingdom of Prussia received a large amount of territory in the Westphalian region and created the province of Westphalia in 1815. The northernmost portions of
5110-417: Was granted leave by Siegfried von Westerburg , the Archbishop of Cologne , to fortify the town. Later Borgentreich would become a city in the hanseatic league. Borgholz was first mentioned in 1291 in two documents, both confirming that there was a Borcholte at this time. It has to thank for its founding – as does the main town – a dispute over sovereignty in the area between the Archbishops of Cologne and
5183-403: Was reconstructed around 1600 in the Weser Renaissance style. Brakel developed itself into quite an important trading town that belonged to the Hanseatic League . In the 14th century, this Hanseatic town was at the height of its boom, bearing the same rank as Paderborn and Warburg , bearing witness to which was the town's having its own court and market rights. The general situation worsened in
5256-512: Was the centre of the "Circle of Romantics" with Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, the Brothers Grimm , Clemens von Brentano and Josef Görres . It is known today for its open-air stage. Bökendorf has 852 inhabitants. The village's forerunner, a group of farms, was first mentioned in the ninth century. There are 644 inhabitants in Erkeln. This titular town was first mentioned in 868. Idyllically set in
5329-677: Was used by the Rhenish Republic (1923–1924) as a symbol of independence and freedom. The horse on the coat of arms is a reference to the Saxon Steed , a heraldic motif associated with both Westphalia and Lower Saxony . The horse first featured in the 15th century coat of arms of the Duchy of Westphalia, before being inherited by the Prussian province of Westphalia and finally the modern state of North Rhine-Westphalia. North Rhine-Westphalia encompasses
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