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Rhein-Erft County ... Strength in the Cologne Region

Rhein-Erft County is located right in the heart of the Rhineland, centered in the city triangle of Cologne-Bonn-Aachen and it is the immediate western neighbor to the City of Cologne. As part of “Rhenish Bight” it has more than 50 castles, palaces, and manors making it one of Germany’s most castle-rich regions overall.

The county is among the economically strongest counties in North Rhine Westphalia and due to the fact that the “Rhine Revier” is home to the largest contiguous lignite deposits on the European continent, it is today still considered an energy county. Even though surface mining operations are slowly receding from the county area, investments into state-ofthe-art technology are still made. Using exemplary recultivation activities the former industrial landscapes are being transformed into local recreational parks: Forests and lakes are perfect for hiking and water sports and they are favorite leisure destinations not only for the neighboring city dwellers.

: Rhein-Erft-County

The future has started in Rhein-Erft County. A lively county – that means variety in those ten municipalities to be introduced on the following pages. Each of them has its own unmistakable characteristics, formed over generations on the one hand and bearing the imprint of modern achievements and structural changes on the other. Overall they represent a great synthesis of quality of life and economic strength. They stand for an exemplary abundance of chances and opportunities which the county offers its citizens and guests alike.

Today’s version of the county was created through communal reorganization in 1975 from the former counties of Cologne and Bergheim plus portions of Euskirchen County. Initially named Erft County (Erftkreis) it was
awarded its present name of Rhein-Erft County by the end of 2003.

: Rhein-Erft-County

At a size of 705 km2, more than half of its area is used for agricultural purposes, yet the majority of all residents works in processing industries, trade, service industries and transportation. There is a population of more than 465,000 living inside the county’s boundaries. The majority of its residents is between the ages of 30 and 50 and lives in ten municipalities and communities - this could certainly be one cut and dry way of presenting Rhein-Erft County. However such facts might only raise the heartbeat of true statisticians. But they don’t do any justice at all to a region of such
delightful and varied scenery which goes hand in hand with a strong and attractive economic site location.

Instead the county and its many pleasant opposites of historic villages and recultivated areas an abundance of lakes and modern industrial facilities, provide a special experience for just about anyone.