Hanseatic city of Rüthen

Rüthen

Rüthen, the old Hanseatic town on a mountain which was found in 1200, is a peaceful place which still has its century-old striking silhouette. In the Middle Ages, Rüthen played an important role as fortress town. It was also known for the production and the processing of green sandstone. The historical “Handwerkerdorf” near the “Hexenturm” underlines the great importance of this material in a permanent exhibition, a building material which is still essential for architecture, art and culture as it was in former times.

The forest represents an essential economic factor, being a provider of raw material for the wood industry. There are about 11.000 inhabitants in 14 parts of the town who profit from affordable living, good schools and a variety of sport and leisure activities. Rüthen has two primary schools (one of it is an open all-day school), a private secondary school, a grammar school as well as an adult education centre and a music school.

The “Biberbad”, a great outdoor swimming pool with a huge slide, a flow channel, geysers and a beach landscape with beach chairs, is very popular in this region. You will also find a centre for save driving training with a kart track, a sports shooting facility, tennis courts, a teaching pool, an indoor riding arena and several sports halls and sports fields. In Kallenhardt, there is also a bike park with a discgolf course and there you find Körtlinghausen, the baroque castle surrounded by moats.

Rüthen offers a great mixture of cultural events like concerts, theatre performances, cabaret, exhibitions and dance performances. There are a lot of historical buildings such as the old town hall in Rüthen and Kallenhardt, the “Hachtor”, the “Hexenturm”, the museum “Alte Seilerei” (rope-making trade), “Haus Buuck” and numerous splendid churches. The interesting town wall tour with a length of 3 kilometres offers perfect views into the nature park “Arnsberger Wald”. The “Biberpfad” is an ideal trip for the whole family. 17 stations describe the forest of Rüthen about a length of 2,3 kilometres. The “Waldschiff”, a construction formed like a ship is the perfekt point to start. The restoration of the castle “Körtlinghausen” has been very cost-intensive and since 2002, it is used as an event location. Picnic and barbecue areas, playgrounds (a new one in the “Bibertal” – a combination of an adventure and water playground), circular walks in the nature park “Arnsberger Wald”, the topic walk “FliessWege”, the pilgrim walks of the project “3KLang” in Kallenhardt in combination with the church which offers special light and sound effects and many more.

Facts & Figures

Founded

Year 1200

Location

51.49113 latitude and 8.433032 longitude

Population

11000

What is the city known for?

The town wall of Rüthen

Events

“Marienmarkt” (huge number of market stalls since 488 years), “Rüfa” and “Eselmarkt” (trade fair combined with a market which offers a range of rural products as well as a fair) and the “Biber-Beach-Party” (a great event which takes place at the local outdoor swimming pool with modern dancefloor music).