Plettenberg | ||
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District courthouse in Plettenberg
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Coordinates: 51°13′N 07°53′E / 51.217°N 7.883°ECoordinates: 51°13′N 07°53′E / 51.217°N 7.883°E | ||
Country | Germany | |
State | North Rhine-Westphalia | |
Admin. region | Arnsberg | |
District | Märkischer Kreis | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Klaus Müller (SPD) | |
Area | ||
• Total | 96.29 km2 (37.18 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 194 - 593 m (−1,752 ft) | |
Population (2015-12-31) | ||
• Total | 25,781 | |
• Density | 270/km2 (690/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
Postal codes | 58840 | |
Dialling codes | 02391 | |
Vehicle registration | MK | |
Website | www.plettenberg.de |
Plettenberg is a town in the Märkischer Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Plettenberg is located to the east of the Sauerland hills. The highest elevation of the city area is in the Ebbegebirge with 663 m above sea level, the lowest elevation with 194 m near Teindeln. The city is spread out between the four valleys of the rivers Lenne, Else, Oester and Grüne.
Plettenberg consists of 5 districts:
Probably the first written proof of Plettenberg was made in a document from Grafschaft Abbey of Anno II, archbishop of Cologne, at that time named Heslipho. The name was later changed to Plettenberg, as the name of the noble family von Plettenberg, who owned virtually all of the city and surrounding lands.
The Dukes of the Mark bought the town from Cologne, who in 1301 built the castle Schwarzenberg (which was destroyed by fire in 1864). In 1387, Count Engelbert III granted the town some privileges, it received full city rights in 1397 from Count Dietrich von der Mark. At the same time, the city was fortified. The city blossomed in the following centuries thanks to mining and iron casting, as well as trading with the Hanseatic League.
In 1941, the city was enlarged to its current size, when the former city and the surrounding Amt were merged.
The number of inhabitants till 1933 is the core city, since 1998 with the incorporated districts.
The city is twinned with Bludenz (Austria) since 1988, Schleusingen (Thuringia, Germany) since 1990 and Wrexham, Wales.
The coat of arms shows the coat of arms of the counts of Mark in the center. It is displayed between two towers. The coat of arms was granted together with the city rights. In 1794, the crown atop the shield was added in seals of the city. In 1840, the colored version on a shield was adopted.