Frechen
Encyclopedia
Frechen is a town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
. Frechen was first mentioned in 877. It is situated at the western Cologne
city border.
In the 16th century it acquired a name for its terra cotta
artifacts, especially the "Bartmannskrug
" (beardman jug). Later in the 18th century lignite
was first industrially mined. Digging for lignite dominated the city's economy until the end of the 20th century. In 1891 the first briquette factory was opened. On 2 September 1951 Frechen received its city-rights including the towns of Bachem and Buschbell. On 1 January 1975 the nearby villages of Grefrath, Habbelrath, Königsdorf and Neufreimersdorf were also incorporated.
Currently there are 51.387 inhabitants registered (as of January 31, 2008).
Rhein-Erft-Kreis
The Rhein-Erft-Kreis is a district in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Neuss, district-free Cologne, Rhein-Sieg, Euskirchen, Düren.-History:...
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Frechen was first mentioned in 877. It is situated at the western Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
city border.
In the 16th century it acquired a name for its terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
artifacts, especially the "Bartmannskrug
Bartmann jug
A Bartmann jug , also called Bellarmine jug, is a type of decorated stoneware that was manufactured in Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in the Cologne region in what is today western Germany...
" (beardman jug). Later in the 18th century lignite
Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
was first industrially mined. Digging for lignite dominated the city's economy until the end of the 20th century. In 1891 the first briquette factory was opened. On 2 September 1951 Frechen received its city-rights including the towns of Bachem and Buschbell. On 1 January 1975 the nearby villages of Grefrath, Habbelrath, Königsdorf and Neufreimersdorf were also incorporated.
Currently there are 51.387 inhabitants registered (as of January 31, 2008).