Meppen

Meppen is a district capital at the junction of the Ems, Hase and Nordradde rivers in northern Lower Saxony. The old center sits on both banks of the Ems, while newer residential areas spread into the flat meadows and fields around the waterways.

In 945 the settlement gained the right to mint coins from the emperor, marking its early prosperity as a trading center. About four centuries later, the community enclosed itself with defensive walls after receiving approval from the Bishop of Münster.

Red brick gables frame the market square, where townspeople meet for their weekly shopping under the shadow of old merchant houses. Along the river embankments, locals gather on benches to watch boats glide past and children play near the water's edge.

Several footbridges connect both sides of the river, making it easy to walk across the old center in a short loop. Visitors can use marked signs at key points to navigate through the main streets and reach the riverside paths without difficulty.

The name comes from an old word for river delta, directly reflecting the point where three waterways meet. Few towns in Europe carry a name so clearly tied to the geography that shaped their earliest settlement.

Location: Emsland

Elevation above the sea: 15 m

Shares border with: Stavern, Klein Berßen, Haselünne, Geeste, Twist, Haren

Website: https://meppen.de

GPS coordinates: 52.69064,7.29097

Latest update: December 11, 2025 19:52