Bad Honnef

Bad Honnef

Bad Honnef seen from the Drachenfels

Coat of arms
Bad Honnef

Coordinates: 50°38′42″N 7°13′37″E / 50.64500°N 7.22694°ECoordinates: 50°38′42″N 7°13′37″E / 50.64500°N 7.22694°E
Country Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region Köln
District Rhein-Sieg-Kreis
Government
 • Mayor Otto Neuhoff
Area
 • Total 48.3 km2 (18.6 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
 • Total 24,845
 • Density 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 53604
Dialling codes 02224
Vehicle registration SU
Website www.bad-honnef.de

Bad Honnef is a spa town in Germany near Bonn in the Rhein-Sieg district, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the border of the neighbouring state Rhineland-Palatinate. To the north it lies on the slopes of the Drachenfels (“Dragon's Rock”) mountain, part of the Siebengebirge.

Honnef, Aerial view

Overview

Bad Honnef is home to a mineral spring called the Drachenquelle ("Dragon Spring") which was discovered in 1897. This discovery led to Honnef, as the town was called at the time, transforming from a wine-growing town to a spa town, adding the prefix Bad to its name. The mineral spring has been used for both drinking and bathing.[2]

The villages of Aegidienberg, Selhof and Rhöndorf are considered to be part of Bad Honnef. During his term as first chancellor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer lived (and died) in Bad Honnef, as it was near Bonn, then the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. Also, German politician and leader of the Free Democratic Party Guido Westerwelle was born in Bad Honnef.

Since the 1980s Bad Honnef has developed into an important place for conferences in Germany. Because of the close proximity to the still internationally important Federal City of Bonn, many federal institutions are located in Bad Honnef.

The headoffice of the Nationalpark Siebengebirge project was also planned to be in Bad Honnef;[3] however the project was doomed by a referendum on sept. 27, 2009.[4]

Bad Honnef has the highest purchasing power of all towns in North Rhine-Westphalia, its percentage of millionaires is also one of the highest.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Amtliche Bevölkerungszahlen". Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW (in German). 4 September 2014.
  2. ↑  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Honnef". Encyclopædia Britannica 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 659.
  3. ↑ Informationssystem zum geplanten 'Bürgernationalpark Siebengebirge'
  4. ↑ http://www.bad-honnef.de/service/rathaus/wahlen/index.php?status=story&typ=4&id=3600
  5. ↑ Bad Honnefer haben das meiste Geld (16.12.2006) | Wirtschaft | Lokales | News | General-Anzeiger Online - Bonn

References

    External links

    Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bad Honnef.