Herford


Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is situated in the cultural region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe and the administrative region of Detmold. It is the capital of the district of Herford.
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Geography

Geographic location

The former Hanseatic town of Herford is situated in the chain of hills south of the Wiehen Hills. The highest place is the Dornberg in the Schwarzenmoor district; the lowest point is located in the Werretal in the Falkendiek district. The River Aa joins the river Werre in the centre of the town. The Stuckenberg is located east of the town.

Neighbouring towns

Districts

  • Altstädter Feldmark
  • Neustädter Feldmark
  • Radewiger Feldmark
  • Diebrock¹
  • Eickum¹
  • Elverdissen¹
  • Falkendiek¹
  • Herringhausen¹
  • Laar¹
  • Schwarzenmoor¹
  • Stedefreund¹

History

The town was founded in 789 by Charlemagne in order to guard a ford in the narrow Werre river. A century later, Matilda, daughter of Dietrich of Ringelheim, a count of Saxony, grew up in the abbey of Herford; she was a descendant of the Saxon leader Widukind. In Herford she met Henry the Fowler, who later became king of Germany.
In late medieval times Herford was a member of the Hanseatic League. It was a Free Imperial City, i.e. it was directly subordinated to the emperor. This status was lost after the Peace of Westphalia, when Herford was annexed by Brandenburg-Prussia. It was administered within the Province of Westphalia following the Napoleonic Wars, and made part of the new state North Rhine-Westphalia after World War II.

Culture and sights

Sights

  • The Herford Minster is a late Romanesque hall church, built about 1220-1250 for the Fürstabtei Herford. It is one of the earliest hall churches in Germany
  • St. James' is a late Gothic hall church
  • St. John's is a late Gothic hall church
  • St. Mary's is also a late Gothic hall church. It was completed about 1325/50 and part of a monastery
  • Town hall, built 1913-16 by Paul Kanold in Neo-Baroque forms
  • Neustädter Rathaus, built 1600, aesthetic pediment 1930 removed, 1988/89 reconstructed
  • Remensnider-Haus, Brüderstraße 26, a late Gothic half-timbered building from 1521
  • Kantorhaus, Elisabethstraße 2, a half-timbered building, about 1484/1494
  • Holland 21, half-timbered building, 1554
  • Holland 39, half-timbered building, 1559
  • Bürgermeisterhaus, Höckerstraße 4, a late Gothic stone building from 1538 with a stepped gable similar to houses in Münster and Bielefeld
  • Frühherrenstraße 11, a Renaissance building, 1591
  • Wulfert-Haus, Neuer Markt 2 with a brick-built Renaissance gable, 1560

Museums

The MARTa Herford, a museum for contemporary art and design, housed in a building designed by Frank Gehry, has been open to the public since May 2005. Its exhibits change regularly.
The Daniel-Pöppelmann-Haus in Herford explores the history of the city, and the Memorial and Meeting Place Cell Block, in the basement of the city hall, documents the persecution and the obliteration of minorities. Plans to construct a museum of city history next to the city hall and the Minster church have been postponed.

Music and theatre

Herford is the seat of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie which performs regularly in the Stadtpark Schützenhof as well as many neighbouring cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Eugene Tzigane is the principal conductor designate.
The Stadttheater provides seats for 706 viewers and it is served by visiting theatre companies.

Events at regular intervals

Easter Fair around Easter Jazz Festival May - Performances of different jazz artists in a couple of barsOrgan SummerVisions Fair JuneSummer Stage Summer - Concerts at the square between city hall and market hallHoekerfest August - Municipal festival with plenty of events in the city centreCity Fair October - In the city centreHerbstzeitlos Autumn - Exhibition at the former depot siteWine Festival Autumn - At GänsemarktChristmas Lights December - Municipal Christmas fair

Economy

Military

Herford was the location of the headquarters of the 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division at Westfalen Garrison, part of British Forces Germany, until the division moved to the United Kingdom in 2015.
The British Forces Broadcasting Service studio for Germany was located in Wentworth Barracks until 2009 when it moved to Hohne.
7th Signal Regiment, based at Maresfield Barracks on Stadtholz Strasse, received the honour of the Freedom of Herford in 1973 Becoming the first British military unit to receive the freedom of a German city.

Twin towns – sister cities

Herford is twinned with:

Friendly cities

Herford also has friendly relations with:

Notable people