Lüdenscheid is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland area at . Population: 80,613 (2000). Area: 86.7 km². It is the district capital of the Märkischer Kreis. It is twinned with Brighouse in county of West Yorkshire, England, Den Helder in the Netherlands, Leuven in Belgium, Myslenice in Poland, Romilly-sur-Seine in France and Taganrog in Russia.

History

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While first settlement in the Lüdenscheid area is confirmed for the 9th century, the first mention of the city was made in 1268. In the 15th and 16th century Lüdenscheid was a member of the Hanseatic League. In 1815 it became part of Westphalia, and 1975, with the creation of the Märkischer Kreis, became district capital.

Coat of arms

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The coat of arms shows Saint Medardus as the patron of the city. Below it has the red-and-white checked fess from the arms of the Counts of the Mark. The city wall at the bottom denotes the city rights that Lüdenscheid received in 1287.

Sports

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Fortuna Lüdenscheid is a mockery name of the football club Borussia Dortmund, most commonly used by the fans of FC Schalke 04. The real football club Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid is playing in the Verbandsliga, the fourth level below the Bundesliga, but did play once in the second Bundesliga in 1977/78.

Twin towns

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Calderdale/Brighouse, United Kingdom since 1950/1983 Den Helder, Netherlands since 1980 Leuven, Belgium since 1987 Myslenice, Poland since 1989 Romilly-sur-Seine, France since 1991 Taganrog, Russia since 1991

Lüdenscheid is twinned, too, with: Town and district Kłodzko, Poland

External link

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• Official website

Towns in North Rhine-Westphalia

Lüdenscheid | Lüdenscheid | Lüdenscheid | Lüdenscheid | Lüdenscheid