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Meschede | |
|---|---|
 View over Meschede | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Meschede within Hochsauerlandkreis district  | |
  Meschede  Meschede | |
| Coordinates:51°21′N8°17′E / 51.350°N 8.283°E /51.350; 8.283 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Admin. region | Arnsberg |
| District | Hochsauerlandkreis |
| Subdivisions | 17 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–25) | Christoph Weber[1] (CDU) |
| Area | |
• Total | 218.5 km2 (84.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 260 m (850 ft) |
| Population (2023-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 29,988 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 59872 |
| Dialling codes | 0291 |
| Vehicle registration | HSK |
| Website | www.meschede.de |
Meschede (German:[ˈmɛʃədə]ⓘ) is a town in theHochsauerland district, inNorth Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the districtHochsauerlandkreis.
One of the five branches ofSouth Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (also: Fachhochschule Südwestfalen (FH SWF)) is located here.
Meschede is situated in theRuhr valley, near to theHennesee, south of the nature-parkArnsberger Wald. Major towns in the vicinity of Meschede arePaderborn (51 km),Kassel (85 km),Siegen (57 km),Hagen,Dortmund (60 km) andHamm (49 km).
After the local government reforms of 1975 Meschede consists of these districts and villages:
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Meschede was founded as a settlement around a convent, theWalpurgis-Stift , in the 10th century. In1572, it became a member of theHanseatic League.
In the 18th century, many inhabitants of Meschede died during at least two epidemics ofdysentery.
Both inWorld War I and inWorld War II, Meschede was notorious as a location where the Germans exploitedPOWs in labour camps. In February, 1945, the town was destroyed by Allied air raid bombings, because of its strategically important railway station, but rebuilt after the war.
In 1921, theSauerländer Heimatbund was founded.[citation needed]
In 1970, Meschede's St. Walburga Hospital was the site of asmallpox outbreak, as described in the bookThe Demon in the Freezer byRichard Preston.[citation needed]
Meschede is the seat of three major companies:
An industrial zone is located near the crossing of the A 46 with the B 55 (see below).
Tourism also is important to the town's economy.
Meschede is connected with two national roads, the federal roadsB 7 andB 55, and the motorwayA 46.
Meschede has arailroad station, and is connected via theSauerland Net, RB 57, toArnsberg and other towns.
It has an airfield, theMeschede-Schüren Airfield, with a 900 m runway.
The city's climate is continental. The lowest temperature recorded was −20 °C (−4 °F), its highest was recorded at 39 °C (102 °F).
Spanish fricco is a traditional stew dish of Meschede.[3]
Cousolre, France (1965)Le Puy-en-Velay, France (1975)Meschede also has friendly relations with:[4]
Neufraunhofen, Germany
Towns and municipalities inHochsauerland | ||
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