Lahn

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Lahn
The Lahn between Gießen and Wetzlar.
The Lahn between Gießen and Wetzlar.
Origin Sauerland
Mouth Rhine
Basin countries Germany
Length 242 km
Source elevation 628 m
The river Lahn in Limburg
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The river Lahn in Limburg

The Lahn is a river in Germany. It has its source at the Ederkopf mountain in the Rothaargebirge, the highest part of the Sauerland. After 242 km it meets the Rhine at Lahnstein. Important cities along the Lahn include Marburg, Gießen, Wetzlar and Limburg an der Lahn.


Lahn was also the name of a city which was created on January 1, 1977 when the two cities of Gießen and Wetzlar were merged. It was named after the river to make the merger one of equals. However as the merger was very unpopular as well as inefficient – it had been imposed on the cities against the will of almost all inhabitants – it was rescinded on July 31, 1979; so the city Lahn only existed for 2.5 years.

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