Reutlingen

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Coordinates: 48°29′N 9°13′E

Reutlingen
Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Administrative region	Tübingen
District	Reutlingen
Population	112,099 source (2005)
Area	87.06 km²
Population density	1,288 /km²
Elevation	380 m
Coordinates	48°29′ N 9°13′ E
Postal code	72701-72770
Area code	07121, 07072, 07127
Licence plate code	RT
Mayor	Barbara Bosch
Website	reutlingen.de

Reutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district Reutlingen. As of September 2004 it has a population of 109,939. Reutlingen has a university of applied sciences, which was founded in 1855, originally as a weaver's school.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Sister cities 4 External links

[edit] Geography

Reutlingen lies right next to the Swabian Jura, hence why it is often called The gate to the Swabian Jura (German: Das Tor zur Schwäbischen Alb).

[edit] History

The first settlements in the area are believed to date from the 4th/5th century. Some time around 1030, Count Egino started to build a castle on top of the Achalm, one of the largest mountains in Reutlingen district (about 706 m). One of the towers of this castle stands until today and is open for visitors. The name Reutlingen was first mentioned in writing in the so-called Bempflingen Treaty (German: Bempflinger Vertrag) which is dated approximately 1089-1090.

Around 1180, Reutlingen receives market rights and between 1220 and 1240 it is promoted to city status and city-walls and fortifications are built. Shortly thereafter, from 1247-1343, the town's landmark, the Maria's Church (German: Marienkirche) was built.

Reutlingen became a city of the Holy Roman Empire, freeing from allegiance to the Duke of Württemberg.

Reutlingen's city council signed the Augsburg Confession in 1530 and the Formula of Concord in 1580 (key documents of Lutheranism).

The largest disaster in the history of Reutlingen happened in 1726, when a large fire swept through the city, destroying 80% of all residential houses and almost all public buildings, making 1,200 families homeless. The impact of this fire, which lasted three days, can be seen in various spots throughout the city until today.

General Ferdinand Heim, later to be noted as the "Scapegoat of Stalingrad" was born in Reutlingen.

[edit] Sister cities

• Aarau, Switzerland, since 1986
• Bouaké, Ivory Coast, since 1970
• Dushanbe, Tajikistan, since 1990
• Ellesmere Port and Neston, United Kingdom, since 1966
• Pirna, Germany
• Reading, Pennsylvania, United States, since 1998
• Roanne, France, since 1958
• Szolnok, Hungary, since 1990

[edit] External links

• Homepage of Reutlingen
• The University of applied sciences in Reutlingen