Online-Card - Minden

Introducing Minden With around 86.000 residents, Minden is a cultural focus and also a Center of administration and business for the County Minden-Lübbecke. Surrounded by the Wiehen- and Wesermountains, forrests, meadows and moors, the more than 1.200 year old Minden, lies by the watercrossing of the river Weser and the Midland-Canal, in the East-Westfalian Region. Minden belongs to the German State of Nordrhein-Westfalia, the most populated state in Germany. The City is an important business-, trade- and servicecenter for an area consisting of 450.000 residents. The immediate nearness of the threelaned motorway (A2), the Cologne-Berlin railway-net with IC, IR and ICE stops and also the watercrossing, offer optimal combining of land and water. With 850 residents per square kilometre, Minden has a high density of population. The growth of population shows 22 % children and young persons. 60,8 % of the inhabitants are between 22 and 65 years old, 17,2 % are older than 65 years. The climate in Minden is oceanic, with well balanced temperatures and relativly high sediments. The average sediment hight during the year is 725 mm, the average air-temperature during the year is 9,3 celsius.

History and Tradition In 1998 Minden celebrated its 1.200 year jubilee with many special events. The City owes its first mentioning to Kaiser Karl der Grosse. In the year 798 he held a Reichs-assembly at the geographical favourable town “Minda” and established the Bishopric in 799. Records of excavations made in Päpinghausen, prove that settlement was much earlier and probably of Celtic origin. Due to the grant of market-, coin- and dutyrights in the year 977 Minden became the center of business in the region. It remained the “royal mint” for more than 700 years and can look back on a 1.000 year market tradition. Minden belonged to the city alliance, as a foundation member of the “Hanse”. In 1648 a new epoch of Mindens history began, after the end of the thirty year war . This was influenced by the “Brandenburgisch-Preussian”- Military and civil servants for more than two centurys. 1873 was another important date in history: In this year the protective wall surrounding the city, after centurys of social, economical and cultural life, was abolished. At the beginning of the 20th century more firms and industrial enterprises colonized. In 1915/16 the City by the weser became connected to the Europian canalsystems via the Midland –Canal and the watercrossing. The most famous festival, the “Mindener Freischiessen” shooting contest, is celebrated, obeying traditional rules and regulations, every two years (next: 07.-11.July 2004). It is organized by the Minden Bürgerbatallion. Further shooting contests are held in several districts, as well as village- and Folkfestivals. Speciality foods of this region are “Grünkohl” (green-cabbage) and “Stippgrütze” (dip-grits).

Economy, trade and industry In the past decades Minden has become a dynamic trade location, in which metal manufacturing industries, chemical industry, paper-, wood- and plastic producing industries as well as worldwide working firms for electro-technique and food industries dominate. Around 4.600 companies are located in Minden today. National and internationally known firms are Melitta, Kampa-Haus AG, WAGO, Drabert, Harting and EDEKA. From the 42.000 places of employment in the city of Minden, 14.000 are in the production business, approximately 12.000 in trade and traffic, and approximately 16.000 in other trades, especially government service. Objects of interest and cultural offers The city center is impressing with its middleaged churches, quaint citizen- and merchant-houses. Numerous buildings, inlcuding the Preussian-museum on Simeonsplatz as well as the Provisions magazine on Martinikirchhof, descended directly from the epoch, that was influenced by preussian architects like Schinkel and Gilly. The superior old town with its frameworkhouses and the City center with numerous historical buildings, including the 1.000 year old Cathedral with the Cathedral treasury and the oldest townhall in Westfalia with its gothic arcade from the 13th century, are witnesses of a moving history. Also belonging to it, are magnificant buildings from the Weserrenaissance, the Minden museum, lodged in five frameworkhouses in the old town, the old churches of the city and the “Fischerstadt” (Fishing-city). Unique for the region is the Shipmill, which was rebuilt in high fidelity and taken into service in 1998. Its berth is on the Weserpromenade from april through to the end of october. A particular attraction of Minden is the watercrossing of the river Weser and the Midland Canal, with the 83 m long lock and the new canal bridge that was taken into service also in 1998. The 370 m long bridge is the second largest in history of inland navigation. It can be viewed from Land or Water. The city is also well known for its cultural offers. Apart from the Preussian museum and the museum of history, land- and folklore, the theatre is important for the whole region and registers extraordinary high numbers of visitors. Minden is also a mekka for jazzmusic. The city has a hall at its disposal, for conferences, congresses and big events, a cultural center and the theatre at the winegarden.

Sport, Music and Unions Minden is a sportive stronghold. With an organisation grade of 32,3 % Minden is the leading city in East-Westfalian-Lippe region. 26.600 members are active in 136 unions and worksportunsions. More then 40 types of sport are being offered, including canoesport or highclass handball (Men- and Womens teams, 1.Bundesliga) up to archery and baseball. One of the biggest Watersporting events in Europe, the “The blue band of the Weser”, takes place every two years (last held September 2001). Minden has 7 large sporthalls, 2 countyhalls, 24 small sporthalls, the Weserstadium (audience capacity: 6.800), 21 sportsfields, 1 baseballfield, 1 combined inside and outside pool. In Addition there are equestrian sport facilities, boathouses, shooting ranges and tennis courts. Musically Minden is very well represented with its own urban music school, choires and several bands and orchestras.