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Brilon

Brilon
Marketplace in Brilon
Marketplace in Brilon
Coat of arms of Brilon
Coat of arms
Brilon  is located in Germany
Brilon
Brilon
Coordinates: 51°23′0″N 08°34′0″E / 51.38333°N 8.56667°E / 51.38333; 8.56667Coordinates: 51°23′0″N 08°34′0″E / 51.38333°N 8.56667°E / 51.38333; 8.56667
Country Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region Arnsberg
District Hochsauerland
Government
 • Mayor Dr. Christoph Bartsch (SPD)
Area
 • Total 228.95 km2 (88.40 sq mi)
Elevation 450 m (1,480 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
 • Total 26,232
 • Density 110/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 59914-59929
Dialling codes 02961 (Brilon) 02963 (Messinghausen) 02964 (Alme) 02991 (Marsberg-Bredelar)
Vehicle registration HSK
Website www.brilon.de

Brilon (German pronun­cia­tion: [ˈbʁiːlɔn]) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that belongs to the Hochsauerlandkreis.

Brilon is situated on the Brilon Heights at an altitude of about 450 m on the upper reaches of the river Möhne. The town lies between the Arnsberg Forest nature reserve to the west and the Lake Diemel nature reserve and the Hoppecke to the south-east.

After the local government reforms of 1975 Brilon consists of 17 districts:

(Source of population figures: www.briloner-wirtschaft.de / As at: 31 December 2004)

The first documentary reference occurs in a deed of the Emperor Otto II dated 973, confirming to the Cathedral of Magdeburg all those possessions in Westphalia given to it by his father, including the Villa Brilon. This reference must of course apply to a considerably older settlement than the present town, presumably what is now Altenbrilon. The Brilon estate passed later by exchange to the Archbishops of Paderborn, who endowed their steward ("Vogt") with it.

In about 1220 Archbishop Engelbert I of Cologne acquired the Brilon lands of the brothers Hermann and Gernand of Brilon. The Archbishop laid out a fortified town and gave it municipal rights. Bloody conflicts followed between the Archbishops of Cologne and the Bishops of Paderborn over the rights of possession of the place. These ended when the Bishop of Paderborn, after being taken prisoner, waived his rights to Brilon (1256).


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