Dorsten
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Historical town hall and St. Agatha cathedral
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 Dorsten
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Location of Dorsten within Recklinghausen district
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| Coordinates: 51°39′36″N 6°57′51″E / 51.66000°N 6.96417°ECoordinates: 51°39′36″N 6°57′51″E / 51.66000°N 6.96417°E | ||
| Country | Germany | |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia | |
| Admin. region | Münster | |
| District | Recklinghausen | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Tobias Stockhoff (CDU) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 171 km2 (66 sq mi) | |
| Population (2015-12-31) | ||
| • Total | 75,431 | |
| • Density | 440/km2 (1,100/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
| Postal codes | 46282, 46284, 46286 | |
| Dialling codes | 02362, 02369, 02866 | |
| Vehicle registration | RE | |
| Website | www.dorsten.de | |
Dorsten (German pronunciation: [ˈdɔʁstən]) is a town in the district of Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and has a population of just below 80,000.
Dorsten is situated on the western rim of Westphalia bordering the Rhineland. Its historical old town lies on the south bank of the river Lippe and the Wesel–Datteln Canal and was granted city rights in 1251. During the twentieth century, the town was enlarged in its north by the villages of the former Herrlichkeit Lembeck. While Dorsten's northern districts are thus shaped by the rural Münsterland with its many historical castles, just south of the town the Ruhr region begins, Germany's largest urban agglomeration with more than seven million inhabitants.
The exact linguistic derivation of the word "Dorsten" is unknown, leaving the meaning of the town's name unclear.
Archaeological findings show that the area was already populated during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, from about 4000 BC onwards. The Romans established a military camp in Dorsten-Holsterhausen in 11 BC and Varus passed through it in 9BC on his way to the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.
From around 700 AD onwards, the Archbishopric of Cologne began to evangelise the area around Dorsten. Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden, together with the Count of Cleves, granted Dorsten the city rights in 1251. Due to its economically favourable position on the river Lippe, the town became a member of the Hanseatic League of international trading cities and turned into the richest town in the Vest Recklinghausen.
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Wikipedia