Rotenburg an der Wümme

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rotenburg coat of arms
Rotenburg coat of arms

Rotenburg an der Wümme (until 1969: Rotenburg in Hannover) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district (Kreis) of Rotenburg. The population is 21,500.

Rotenburg is situated at the Wümme river, which in turn lies between the rivers Elbe and Weser at about the same latitude as Hamburg and Bremen, the latter lying 40km to the west. It is often called "Rotenburg (Wümme)" in order to distinguish from the town Rotenburg an der Fulda in Hesse.

The town was founded in 1195, when the bishop of Verden built a castle at the place. The castle took its name from the colour of the bricks (rot means "red", Burg "castle"). The adjoining settlement remained a tiny village until the 19th century.

Coordinates: 53°06′N 9°24′E