Bielefeld is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Bielefeld is a district-free town in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located at on both the western and eastern slopes of the Teutoburg Forest. With its population of 326,000, it is the biggest city of the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region. The current mayor is Eberhard David.
The name
Bielefeld is derived from the old name
bileveld, which means "hilly field". The city is situated below a pass separating the Northern and Southern Teutoburg Forest. The centre of Bielefeld is situated on the eastern side of the Teutoburg Forest, but the modern city incorporates boroughs on the opposite side and on the hilltops.
History
Bielefeld was founded in 1214 by Count Hermann IV of Ravensberg to guard a pass crossing the Teutoburg Forest. Bielefeld was a minor member of the Hanseatic League since 14th century, and profited greatly from its status as the "city of linen". The Sparrenburg Castle, was built in the medieval town around 1550 - it remained impenetratable throughout the Middle Ages although it decayed through the ages and finally restored in 1879.
Industry
Major industries in Bielefeld currently include food processing, home appliance manufacture, information technology, and various heavy industries.
Education
The Bielefeld University was founded in 1969. Among its first professors was the notable contemporary German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. Other institutions of higher education include the
Theological Seminary Bethel (Kirchliche Hochschule Bethel) and the
Fachhochschule (see Fachhochschule) which is internationally renown for its fine education in photography and design.
Urban Districts
In 1973 the first villages on the opposite side of the Teutoburg Forest were incorporated. The current districts of the city are:
Bielefeld-Mitte (downtown),
Brackwede,
Dornberg,
Gadderbaum,
Heepen,
Jöllenbeck,
Schildesche,
Senne,
Sennestadt and
Stieghorst.
Traffic
Two major
autobahns, the A 2 and A 33, intersect at the south east of Bielefeld. The
Ostwestfalendamm expressway connects the two parts of the city naturally divided by the Teutoburg Forest. The main railroad station of Bielefeld is part of the German ICE high-speed railroad system. Bielefeld has a small
airstrip in the Senne district, but is mainly served by the two larger airports nearby,
Paderborn-Lippstadt and
Münster-Osnabrück.
Bielefeld boasts a well developed public transport system, served mainly by the companies
moBiel (formerly
Stadtwerke Bielefeld - Verkehrsbetriebe) and
BVO. A subway with four major lines and regional trains connect different parts of the city with nearby counties. Also, Buses run throughout the entire vicinity.
Sights
Sparrenburg Castle is the most famous landmark. It was built between 1240 and 1250 by Count Ludwig von Ravensberg. The 37 m (121 ft) high tower and the catacombs of the castle are open to the public.
The
Old City Hall (
Altes Rathaus) was built in 1904 and still serves the same function. On its facade on can find various architectural styles, including elements of the Gothic style and of the Renaissance. Though the mayor still holds office...
