Olpe (German pronunciation: [ˈɔlpə]) is a Kreis (district) in the south-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Märkischer Kreis, Hochsauerland, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Altenkirchen, Oberbergischer Kreis.

Olpe
Flag of Olpe
Coat of arms of Olpe
Map
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Adm. regionArnsberg
CapitalOlpe
Government
 • District admin.Theo Melcher (CDU)
Area
 • Total710.7 km2 (274.4 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2023)[1]
 • Total134,332
 • Density190/km2 (490/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationOE
Websitewww.kreis-olpe.de

History

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The district was created in 1817 as Kreis Bilstein, in 1819 the capital was set to be Olpe. During the reorganization of the districts in 1969 several of the municipalities in the district were merged to become cities, however the district itself was only modified minimally, and also in the second reorganization 1974 it stayed nearly in the same borders as in 1817.

Geography

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Geographically it covers the south-western part of the Sauerland mountains, which make the district rich in forests. The main river through the district is the Lenne.

Schützenbund

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The Kreisschützenbund Olpe performs the Kreisschützenfest.[2]

Coat of arms

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The left half of the coat of arms show the cologne cross, as the Olpe area belonged to the bishops of Cologne. The right side show the sign of the Lords of Fürstenberg, who were governors for the bishops in this area.

Towns and municipalities

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 Olpe (district)North Rhine-WestphaliaMärkischer KreisHochsauerlandkreisOberbergischer KreisRhineland-PalatinateSiegen-WittgensteinOlpeFinnentropAttendornLennestadtDrolshagenKirchhundemWenden
Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district
Towns Municipalities
  1. Attendorn
  2. Drolshagen
  3. Lennestadt
  4. Olpe
  1. Finnentrop
  2. Kirchhundem
  3. Wenden

References

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  1. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2023 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  2. ^ "Vereine im Kreisschützenbund Olpe". Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
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  Media related to Kreis Olpe at Wikimedia Commons

51°05′N 8°00′E / 51.08°N 8.0°E / 51.08; 8.0