Meppen
About City
General information
The Fortress town Meppen is located in the north of Germany, almost 20 km only away from the National boundary to the Netherlands. Meppen is the district town of the administrative district Emsland.
The scenic situation at the confluence of the two rivers Ems and Hase offers a high residential and recreational value for young and old persons. The Emsland is particularly popular for wheel tourists
Population: about 35000 inhabitants
Area: 188,49 km²
Sea level: 14-15m about NN
Sights:
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Historical city hall (built 1408, extended 1605)
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Propsteikirche (1461/62 built)
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Arenbergsche Rentei from the year 1805 (today it’s town museum)
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Koppelschleuse (sluice) and art centre (1826/28 built)
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Herrenmühle (a mill from the 16th century)
City Wall: The origin of today’s embankment is almost properly located in a medieval one square town fortress.
Territorial discussions (Spanish Dutch war/30-year war 1618-48) required a heavy development of the fastening, since the old city wall didn’t withstand the improved siege weapons and the powerful artillery any more.
Meppen was therefore improved to the Bastion fortress with a stellate ground plan, followed the Dutch and French method.
Since the weapon technology permanently improved and the permanently necessary development financially overtaxed the royal bishop of Münster was the fortress Meppen lifted and 1762 dragged.
Unique in Meppen is the preservation of the Contrescarpe with parts of the Glacis-area (mostly three corner-shaped outside surfaces), while at everyone known to us converted former fortresses, was to preserve the inner embankment. So it comes that the ditch here also lies atypically within the embankment.
The embankment forms a prominent green ribbon and develops and connects the historical town centre with the residential areas lying on the outside. They are a valuable living space for flora and fauna.
History of Meppen
around 780 Charlemagne has built a baptizing church in the context of the Saxon conversion. From this a mission cell develops.
834 First documented mention
1360 Meppen receives the town charters and with that the right to the “fastening with embankment and ditch”.
1408 Construction beginning of the city hall
1461/62 In the place of the baptizing church is the church (Propsteikirche) built in the Gothic style.
1605 Expansion of the city hall.
1633-38 During the Thirty Years’ War the fortress Meppen was improved by Swedish occupation forces
1660 Start of building of the fortress through the Royal bishop Christoph Bernhard of Galen.
1762 Toward the end of the seven-year war the fortress was dragged, the counter-embankment remains unchanged to this day.
after 1785 First trees cultivated areas on the counter-embankment. According to plans of the architect Johann Conrad Schlaun the fortress is developing to gardens with promenade way.
1826 Facilities of the dukedom Arenberg-Meppen with Meppen as a capital.
after 1840 For the improvement in the flood control an embankment rise is carried out
1856 Opening of the railroad Rheine-Emden.
1866 Hannover becomes Province in the kingdom Prussia and with that the Emsland too.
1892-99 Construction of the Dortmund-Ems-Channel, an important connection of the Ruhr-district to the north seaport Emden.
1939-45 In the 2nd World War hundreds casualties and heavy property damages have to be lamented also in Meppen.
1946 Last great flood disaster in the Emsland due to several breaches in the dyke
1977 Meppen becomes district town of the administrative district Emsland
2004 Connection of the Emsland to the German freeway net with the A 31
2010 Meppen celebrates the anniversary „650 years town charters“
2012 250 year celebration for the end of the fortress of Meppen
Contact Person
Stadt Meppen
Markt 43
D-49716 Meppen
Germany
Tel.: +495931 153-0
