Recklinghausen (IPA: [ʁɛklɪŋˈhaʊzən]) is a city in the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Recklinghausen is the northernmost city in the Ruhr-Area and borders the more rural Münsterland. While the landscape in the north of Recklinghausen is characterized by large fields and farms the southern parts of the city are dominated by industry. With a total population of 121,521(as of December 31st,2006) Recklinghausen is the 60th largest city in Germany and the 22nd largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the capital of the district Recklinghausen.
History
Middle Ages
Copper-plate engraving of seventeenth-century Recklinghausen
Recklinghausen was first mentioned in 1017 as Ricoldinchuson. As of 1150, the city is the center of the Vest Recklinghausen, an area of land comprising the villages and countryside around it. In 1236, the city of Recklinghausen received town privileges (see also German town law).
Early modern period
Between 1514 and 1706 more than 100 witchcraft trials were carried out. The trial activity reached a climax twice: In the time period of 1580/81 and in that of 1588/89 which also marked the end of the Seneschal wars, a feud over the religious affiliation of the Archdiocese of Cologne. The last person to be convicted of witchcraft was Anna Spickermann; after spending 16 months in prison, she was sentenced to death by sword and burned afterward.
Nineteenth century
Until 1802, the Vest Recklinghausen belonged to the Electorate of Cologne. After the suspension of the Archdiocese of Cologne, the Vest Recklinghausen became part of the Prussian Province of Westphalia in 1815. The Vest was made a Bürgermeisterei, a Prussian system of districts, the city of Recklinghausen itself becoming the seat to govern the district. In 1819, Herten joins the Recklinghausen Bürgermeisterei, and in 1821, Erkenschwick follows.
Main sights
The Alter Holzmarkt "wood market" in the city center
Recklinghausen is home to a museum of icons, which includes more than 1,000 Orthodox works from Russia, Greece and the Balkan countries, as well as early Coptic Christian art from Egypt. The icon museum - the largest outside the Orthodox world - was founded in 1956 and reopened after renovation in February 2006 for its 50th anniversary.
Recklinghausen hosts the anual Ruhrfestspiele, a cultural festival with an international reputation. Every year there is a cultural programme with many national and international theatrical productions starting on 1 May. In 2008 the programme included the play Speed the Plow starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum as one of the major productions. The main theatrical stage is the Ruhrfestspielhaus but other theatres in and around Recklinghausen participate.
In front of the Ruhrfestpielhaus, whose refurbishment in 2001 won the German Architecture Award, there is "Die Liegende Nr 5" a famous sculpture by Henry Moore. At the Lohtor in front of a memorial for the victims of World War 1, there is a large sculpture made of more than 30.000 bricks by Per Kirkeby.
Transport
North Rhine-Westphalia has a closely-woven autobahn network with many routes leading directly to Recklinghausen. The two major motorways crossing the area of the city are the A2 and the A43.
The city is connected to the larger waterways by the Rhein-Herne-Kanal.
Recklinghausen has two railway stations. The Central Station (Recklinghausen Hauptbahnhof) which is connected to the national and European high speed (Intercity) and the South Station (Recklinghausen Südbahnhof).
Famous people
External links
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