Olsberg,_Germany
Olsberg, Germany
Town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Olsberg is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Olsberg | |
|---|---|
Kroppsches Haus in Olsberg | |
Location of Olsberg within Hochsauerlandkreis district | |
| Coordinates: 51°21′N 8°29′E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Admin. region | Arnsberg |
| District | Hochsauerlandkreis |
| Subdivisions | 15 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–25) | Wolfgang Fischer[1] (CDU) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 117.97 km2 (45.55 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 843 m (2,766 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 313 m (1,027 ft) |
| Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
| • Total | 21,483 |
| • Density | 180/km2 (470/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 59939 |
| Dialling codes | 02962 |
| Vehicle registration | HSK |
| Website | www.olsberg.de |
It is situated on the river Ruhr, approx. 15 km east of Meschede. It is bordered by Arnsberg Forest Nature Park, on the northern fringe of the Rothaargebirge. The town's setting is dominated by heavily wooded ridges and valleys formed by the Ruhr and three of its tributaries.
A notable feature situated within the town's limits are the Bruchhauser Steine, four large porphyry rocks located on a mountain near the village of Bruchhausen.
The Langenberg, the highest mountain of north-west Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia, is located on the eastern town border, the peak being just inside the town's limits.
Neighbouring towns and municipalities
Clockwise from the north, Olsberg is bordered by:
Division of the town
The town of Olsberg comprises twelve villages. The town's core consists of Olsberg itself and Bigge, which have physically merged since the 1950s.
- Antfeld
- Assinghausen
- Bigge
- Olsberg
- Bruchhausen
- Brunskappel
- Elleringhausen
- Elpe/Heinrichsdorf
- Gevelinghausen
- Helmeringhausen
- Wiemeringhausen
- Wulmeringhausen
![[icon]](./File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2010) |
The town was formed on January 1, 1975 in the course of the municipal reorganization of North Rhine-Westphalia. Before that date all villages (except Bigge and Olsberg, which had been merged already been merged into a single municipality in 1969) have been independent municipalities.
The town council is currently headed by mayor Wolfgang Fischer (CDU), re-elected in 2020. The composition of the town council is, since 2020:
Traditionally dominated by agriculture (especially dairy farming) and small scale wood and metal craft, the town's economical base today relies on the tertiary sector, especially tourism. Industry consists primarily of metallurgy and sawmills.
Rail
The town has two train stations.
Bus
Buses connect the town core to the neighbouring villages and towns, generally with hourly services. Most bus services meet at Olsberg railway station to connect with train services.
Road
The Bundesstraße 480 runs through the town from north to south, and meets the Bundesstraße 7 just north of the town in the village of Altenbüren. The current end of the A46 motorway is 5 km to the Northwest.
Town bypass
Construction on a southern bypass road started in 2005 and is scheduled for opening in 2010. It will take the Bundesstrasse 480 to a new route bypassing the town core to the west and the south.[4]
Children are allocated to four primary schools according to their place of residence. Additionally there are three secondary schools, one of which caters for children with physical disabilities. While the town does not have a Gymnasium (higher education school), it maintains a vocational college.[5]
Olsberg is twinned with:
Olsberg, Canton of Aargau (Switzerland) -- since 1974
Fruges (France) -- since 1965
Jöhstadt (Germany) -- since 1990
- Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 21 June 2021.
- Endgültiges Ergebnis für die Stadt-/Gemeinderatswahl: Olsberg, Stadt, Kommunalwahlen 2020, accessed 21 June 2021.
- "Press release (German)". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
- Official site (in German)