Recklinghausen is a Kreis (district) in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Borken, Coesfeld, Unna, district-free cities Dortmund, Bochum, Herne, Essen, Gelsenkirchen and Bottrop, and the district Wesel.

History

In medieval times the area around Recklinghausen was the Vest Recklinghausen, a territory which belonged to the bishops of Cologne. From 1446 to 1576 it was rented to the lords of Gemen (now part of the city Borken) and Schaumburg-Lippe. In 1811 it was added to the earldom Berg, which in 1815 became part of the Prussian province Westphalia.

The district was created in 1816, and after several changes it got its present borders with the last reorganizations of 1975/76.

Geography

The district Recklinghausen is located at the north end of the Ruhr area where it changes from the urban parts into the rural Münsterland. The main river in the district is the Lippe River.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms show a silver nettle leaf on green ground - the sign of the Herrlichkeit Lembeck, an Amt in the clerical state of Münster in the Recklinghausen area. The black cross is the sign of the bishops of Cologne who owned a big part of the district's area, the Vest Recklinghausen. The key inside the cross symbolizes St. Peter, the patron of Cologne.

Towns

External links

Official website (German)