Bonn | |||
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Beethoven Monument, Villa Hammerschmidt, Old City Hall, Poppelsdorf Palace, panoramic view over Bonn and the Electoral Palace, now seat of the University of Bonn (clockwise from top left).
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Coordinates: 50°44′02.37″N 7°5′59.33″E / 50.7339917°N 7.0998139°ECoordinates: 50°44′02.37″N 7°5′59.33″E / 50.7339917°N 7.0998139°E | |||
Country | Germany | ||
State | North Rhine-Westphalia | ||
Admin. region | Cologne | ||
District | Urban district | ||
Founded | 1st century BC | ||
Government | |||
• Lord Mayor | Ashok-Alexander Sridharan (CDU) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 141.06 km2 (54.46 sq mi) | ||
Population (2015-12-31) | |||
• Total | 318,809 | ||
• Density | 2,300/km2 (5,900/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | ||
Postal codes | 53111–53229 | ||
Dialling codes | 0228 | ||
Vehicle registration | BN | ||
Website | www.bonn.de |
The Federal City of Bonn (German pronunciation: [ˈbɔn]) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of 311,287. Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany's largest metropolitan area, with over 11 million inhabitants.
Founded in the first century BC as a Roman settlement, Bonn is one of Germany's oldest cities. From 1597 to 1794, Bonn was the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and residence of the Archbishops and Prince-electors of Cologne. In 1949, the Parliamentary Council drafted and adopted the German constitution, the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn. Though Berlin was symbolically named the de jure capital, from 1949 to 1990 Bonn was the seat of government and de facto capital of West Germany. From 1990 to 1999, Bonn served as the seat of government of reunited Germany. In recognition of its former status as German capital, it holds the name of Federal City (Bundesstadt). Bonn currently shares the status of Germany's seat of government with Berlin, with the President, the Chancellor and many government ministries maintaining substantial presences in Bonn.
The two DAX-listed corporations Deutsche Post DHL and Deutsche Telekom have headquarters in Bonn. The city is also the location of 19 United Nations institutions and the University of Bonn. Bonn is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven (born 1770).