Soest (district)
Encyclopedia
Soest (ˈzoːst) is a Kreis
(district) in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
. Neighboring districts are Warendorf
, Gütersloh
, Paderborn
, Hochsauerland
, Märkischer Kreis
, Unna
and the district-free city Hamm
.
was the biggest city of Westphalia
; however, after it liberated itself from the bishops of Cologne in the Soester Fehde in 1449 it slowly lost importance, only to gain it again when in 1816 the new Prussia
n government created the district. In 1975 the district was merged with the neighboring district of Lippstadt and parts of the former district of Arnsberg.
hills and the lower land north of it, the 'Hellweg'. The rather flat land and very fertile loess
soil have it an agricultural area from ancient times. The main rivers through the district are the Ruhr, the Lippe
and the Möhne, which is dammed to form the Möhne Reservoir
. The highest elevation is in the area of Warstein
with 580m, while the lowest is the Lippe
valley with 65m.
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
(district) in the middle of 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...
. Neighboring districts are Warendorf
Warendorf (district)
Warendorf is a Kreis in the northern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Steinfurt, Osnabrück , Gütersloh, Soest, district-free city Hamm, Coesfeld and the district-free city Münster.-History:...
, Gütersloh
Gütersloh (district)
Gütersloh is a Kreis in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Osnabrück, Herford, district-free Bielefeld, Lippe, Paderborn, Soest and Warendorf.-History:...
, Paderborn
Paderborn (district)
Paderborn is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Gütersloh, Lippe, Höxter, Hochsauerland, and Soest.-History:...
, Hochsauerland
Hochsauerland
Hochsauerlandkreis is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Soest, Paderborn, Höxter, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Olpe, Märkischer Kreis.- History :...
, Märkischer Kreis
Märkischer Kreis
The Märkischer Kreis is a district in central North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Unna, Soest, Hochsauerland, Olpe, Oberbergischer Kreis, Ennepe-Ruhr, and the city of Hagen.-History:...
, Unna
Unna (district)
The Unna district is a Kreis in central North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring authorities are the district of Coesfeld, the city of Hamm, the districts of Soest and Märkischer Kreis, the cities of Hagen and Dortmund, and the district of Recklinghausen.-History:The area of the present...
and the district-free city Hamm
Hamm
Hamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway...
.
History
In medieval times SoestSoest, Germany
Soest is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. After Lippstadt, a neighbouring town, Soest is the second biggest town in its district.-Geography:...
was the biggest city of Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
; however, after it liberated itself from the bishops of Cologne in the Soester Fehde in 1449 it slowly lost importance, only to gain it again when in 1816 the new Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n government created the district. In 1975 the district was merged with the neighboring district of Lippstadt and parts of the former district of Arnsberg.
Geography
Geographically it covers the northern part of the SauerlandSauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...
hills and the lower land north of it, the 'Hellweg'. The rather flat land and very fertile loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
soil have it an agricultural area from ancient times. The main rivers through the district are the Ruhr, the Lippe
Lippe River
The Lippe is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Rhine and in length.The source is located at the edge of the Teutoburg Forest in Bad Lippspringe close to the city of Paderborn. It runs westward through Paderborn, Lippstadt and then along the northern edge...
and the Möhne, which is dammed to form the Möhne Reservoir
Möhne Reservoir
The Möhne Reservoir is an artificial lake in North Rhine-Westphalia, some 45 km east of Dortmund. The dam was built between 1908 and 1913 to help control floods, regulate water levels on the Ruhr river downstream, and generate hydropower. Today, the lake is also a tourist attraction...
. The highest elevation is in the area of Warstein
Warstein
Warstein is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located at the north end of the Sauerland.- Geography :...
with 580m, while the lowest is the Lippe
Lippe River
The Lippe is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Rhine and in length.The source is located at the edge of the Teutoburg Forest in Bad Lippspringe close to the city of Paderborn. It runs westward through Paderborn, Lippstadt and then along the northern edge...
valley with 65m.
Coat of arms
| The coat of arms show two symbols from the bishops of 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... , who possessed Soest until 1449. In left half is the key of Saint Peter Saint Peter Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle... , the patron of Cologne; in the right is the black cross of Cologne. After the district was merged with Lippstadt the rose, symbol of the Lippe Lippe Lippe is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe.... area, was added on top of the cross. This new version of the coat of arms was granted in 1976. |
Towns and municipalities
| Towns | Municipalities |
|---|---|
|
Anröchte Anröchte is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is situated approx. 13 km south of Lippstadt and 15 km east of Soest.-Division of the town:... Bad Sassendorf Bad Sassendorf is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-History:From February 15th, 1944 to April 4th or 5th 1945 inmates of the Neuengamme concentration camp used as the Eisenbahnbaubrigade 11 repaired rail tracks at the railway station Soest and between Bad... Ense Ense is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Ense is situated on the river Möhne, approx. 12 km north-west of Arnsberg and 12 km south-west of Soest... Lippetal Lippetal is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Geography :Lippetal is located north and south of the river Lippe between the cities of Lippstadt and Hamm . Lippetal is situated at the northern boundary of the Soester Börde, south of the river Lippe and... Möhnesee Möhnesee is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:The Möhnesee municipality is situated around the Möhne Reservoir , approx... Welver Welver is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-History:The town was once known as Villinghausen or Vellinghausen. The Seven Year's War Battle of Villinghausen was fought nearby.-Geography:Welver is situated approx... Wickede Wickede is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Wickede is situated on the river Ruhr, approx... |
External links
- Official website (German, English)