Iserlohn

Iserlohn
Bauernkirche
Coat of arms
Iserlohn
Location of Iserlohn within Märkischer Kreis district
Coordinates: 51°23′N 07°40′E / 51.383°N 7.667°E / 51.383; 7.667Coordinates: 51°23′N 07°40′E / 51.383°N 7.667°E / 51.383; 7.667
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Arnsberg
District	Märkischer Kreis
Government
• Mayor	Peter Paul Ahrens (SPD)
Area
• Total	125.5 km2 (48.5 sq mi)
Elevation	494 m (1,621 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	93,537
• Density	750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	58636–58644
Dialling codes	02371 (Iserlohn) 02374 (Iserlohn-Letmathe) 02304 (Schwerte,Iserlohn-Hennen) 02352 (Altena,parts of Iserlohn-Kesbern) 02378 (Fröndenberg- Langschede, Iserlohn-Drüpplingsen)
Vehicle registration	MK, IS until 1974 LS until 1979
Website	www.iserlohn.de

Iserlohn (German pronun­cia­tion: [iːzɐˈloːn]) is a city in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city by population and area within the district and the Sauerland region.

Iserlohn is located at the north end of the Sauerland near the Ruhr river.

The Pancratius church (also called Bauernkirche) was founded in around 985, but the first written document mentioning lon dates only from 1150. In 1237 the Count of the Mark gave Iserlohn municipal rights. In 1975 the city, which had been an urban district before, incorporated the surrounding ex-municipalities of Letmathe, Hennen, Sümmern and Kesbern, and became part of the district "Märkischer Kreis". As a larger mid-sized city, Iserlohn, however, still has a special status as compared to most other municipalities in the district. This means that the city takes on tasks more usually performed by the district (e.g. social and youth affairs) so that in some ways it is comparable to an urban district.

The Dechenhöhle was discovered in 1868 during the construction of the railway line Hagen-Iserlohn. 360m are accessible for visitors, and lots of stalactites make it a spectacular sight.

The Danzturm, located atop the southern hill overlooking the old city, is a landmark and featured on the logo of the local brewery (Iserlohner). The tower features spectacular views of the valley and surrounding hills and is open to the public with a small inn at the base.

In the 18th Century, the town became known for its Iserlohn boxes, a form of tobacco or snuff box with an engraved or embossed lid that often featured an image of Frederick the Great.