Hattingen
My beautiful hometown
Hattingen is located on the south bank of the River Ruhr in the south of the Ruhr region in Germany, which is famous for its industrial history. The town was first mentioned in 1396, when the Duke of Mark granted permission to build a city wall. Hattingen has a picturesque historic district with Fachwerk (timber-framed houses) built between the 14th and 16th centuries. The old city is still partly surrounded by the city walls today.
Hattingen became part of the Hanseatic League in 1554 and became an important trading town. In 1720, there were 52 operating coal mines within the municipal area and Hattingen became one of the first industrial cities of the Ruhr region. Steel production started in 1853, when the Henrichshütte was founded. The Henrichshütte became one of the most important employers of the whole region and dominated the town until it closed in 1987.
In recent years, Hattingen became a popular destination for tourism. Its beautiful historical downtown becomes even more stunning during the christmas market season.
More about Hattingen on Wikipedia