Siegerland
Encyclopedia
The Siegerland is a region of Germany
covering the old district of Siegen
(now part of the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein
in North Rhine-Westphalia
) and the upper part of the district of Altenkirchen
, belonging to the Rhineland-Palatinate
adjoining it to the west.
Geologically, the Siegerland belongs to the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge
(Rhenish Slate Mountains). The point of highest elevation is the Riemen, at 678 metres above sea level.
The region around the cities of Siegen
is centered in the middle of Germany
. It includes the municipalities of Hilchenbach
, Netphen
, Kreuztal
, Freudenberg and Siegen
, and the communities of Wilnsdorf
, Burbach and Neunkirchen
, all in North Rhine-Westphalia, and in the Rhineland-Palatinate the municipalities of Kirchen, Herdorf
and Betzdorf, with the community of Daaden
. The population is approximately 300,000.
Iron
mining and working began in Siegerland in 600 BC (cf the blast furnace
at Wilnsdorf, dated to 500 BC) and continued until 1965, when the closing of Grube Georg (Georg Pit) in Willroth
on March 29 ended over 2,500 years of mining. Characteristic of the area are the coppices
(Hauberge) for the production of wood for charcoal
burning.
The area now promotes its tourism industry and its capacities as a source of minerals and fossils. There is also a strong metal working industry today.
This article is based on the German Wikipedia article
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
covering the old district of Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
(now part of the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, Altenkirchen.-History:...
in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
) and the upper part of the district of Altenkirchen
Altenkirchen
Altenkirchen is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, capital of the district of Altenkirchen. It is located approx. 40 km east of Bonn and 40 km north of Koblenz. Altenkirchen is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Altenkirchen.-References:...
, belonging to the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
adjoining it to the west.
Geologically, the Siegerland belongs to the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge
Rheinisches Schiefergebirge
The Rhenish Massif is a geologic massif in western Germany, eastern Belgium, Luxembourg and northeastern France.The Rhenish Massif consists of the Belgian and French Ardennes, the German Eifel and east of the river Rhine the Sauerland and Siegerland. The Mosel and Hunsrück hills form its...
(Rhenish Slate Mountains). The point of highest elevation is the Riemen, at 678 metres above sea level.
The region around the cities of Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
is centered in the middle of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It includes the municipalities of Hilchenbach
Hilchenbach
Hilchenbach is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein Kreis of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Location: The map shows Hilchenbach's location in Siegen-Wittgenstein district. It is about 15 km northeast of Siegen...
, Netphen
Netphen
Netphen is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies on the river Sieg, roughly 7 km northeast of Siegen.-Location:...
, Kreuztal
Kreuztal
Kreuztal is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Location:Kreuztal is a town in the low mountains of the northern Siegerland and lies at the western edge of the Rothaargebirge about 10 km north of Siegen....
, Freudenberg and Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
, and the communities of Wilnsdorf
Wilnsdorf
Wilnsdorf is a municipality in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:The southern municipal limits, with the Kalteiche peak, part of the Rothaargebirge, form not only the community's highest point, at 579 m above sea level, but also the boundary...
, Burbach and Neunkirchen
Neunkirchen (Siegerland)
Neunkirchen is a municipality in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany,-Geography:Neunkirchen lies on the river Heller, about 10 km south of Siegen.-Neighbouring communities:...
, all in North Rhine-Westphalia, and in the Rhineland-Palatinate the municipalities of Kirchen, Herdorf
Herdorf
Herdorf is a town in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Heller, approx. 12 km south-west of Siegen....
and Betzdorf, with the community of Daaden
Daaden
Daaden is a municipality in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Westerwald, approx. 15 km south-west of Siegen.Daaden is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Daaden....
. The population is approximately 300,000.
Iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
mining and working began in Siegerland in 600 BC (cf the blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
at Wilnsdorf, dated to 500 BC) and continued until 1965, when the closing of Grube Georg (Georg Pit) in Willroth
Willroth
Willroth is a municipality in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany....
on March 29 ended over 2,500 years of mining. Characteristic of the area are the coppices
Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
(Hauberge) for the production of wood for charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
burning.
The area now promotes its tourism industry and its capacities as a source of minerals and fossils. There is also a strong metal working industry today.
External links
- Siegerland: general and tourist information
- History of the coppices, or Hauberge
- Information on and history of local mining
This article is based on the German Wikipedia article