Lüdenscheid

Lüdenscheid
Town hall of Lüdenscheid
Coat of arms
Lüdenscheid
Location of Lüdenscheid within Märkischer Kreis district
Coordinates: 51°13′N 07°38′E / 51.217°N 7.633°E / 51.217; 7.633Coordinates: 51°13′N 07°38′E / 51.217°N 7.633°E / 51.217; 7.633
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Arnsberg
District	Märkischer Kreis
Government
• Mayor	Dieter Dzewas (SPD)
Area
• Total	86.73 km2 (33.49 sq mi)
Elevation	232 - 539 m (−1,536 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	73,354
• Density	850/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	58507–58515
Dialling codes	02351
Vehicle registration	MK LÜD (until 1974) LS (until 1979)
Website	www.luedenscheid.de

Largest groups of foreign residents
Nationality	Population (2011)
Turkey	3,115
Greece	2,858
Italy	906

Lüdenscheid (German pronunciation: [ˈlydn̩ʃaɪt]) is a city in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region.

Lüdenscheid is located on the saddle of the watershed between the Lenne and Volme rivers which both empty into the Ruhr river, with three smaller valleys leading to them. The saddle has a height of 420 meters, higher elevations on the watershed are an unnamed hilltop of 505 meters in the north, and the 663 meters high Nordhelle in the Ebbegebirge mountain range. In the surrounding mountainous area, half a dozen barriers created artificial lakes to regulate the water flow of the Ruhr river and to provide drinking water. The mountainous nature of the city's territory gave rise to the nickname "Bergstadt" (mountain town). The original settlement circles around the church built on a ledge of the slope above the saddle.

While first settlement in the Lüdenscheid area is confirmed for the 9th century, the first mention of the place as a village was made in 1067 and as a city in 1268. In the 15th and 16th century Lüdenscheid was a member of the Hanseatic League. Since 1609 the town belonged to the Electorate of Brandenburg, the later Prussia. In 1815 it became part of the new Prussian Province of Westphalia, and 1975, with the creation of the Märkischer Kreis, became seat of its administration. In 1898 the aluminium framework of the first Zeppelin airship was built in the factory of Carl Berg in Lüdenscheid.

Lüdenscheid is an industrial town dominated by a small and medium-sized metal and plastics industry, with the largest company employing 2000 people in Lüdenscheid, others employing 800 or less.