Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Twin cities municipality in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Rheda-Wiedenbrück is a twin settlement in Gütersloh district, North Rhine-Westphalia, formed by two separate historic centers that each have their own old town core. The Ems river runs through both areas, dividing residential quarters from farmland that covers much of the municipal territory.
The earliest written record appears in 785, while one of the towns received market rights in 952. The other settlement was first mentioned in 1085 as a trading post, and both grew along the Ems as separate communities until they joined in 1970.
The twin settlement carries its double name since both towns merged in 1970, though each center still keeps its own character and market square. Locals gather at weekly markets where farmers sell regional produce, and the traditional layout of narrow streets guides daily life in both neighborhoods.
The main road running between the two old town areas helps visitors move from one center to the other without difficulty. The church and the castle serve as clear landmarks when walking through the historic quarters on foot.
Symbols set into the pavement of the restored old town show which trades and shops once operated in each building over past centuries. Visitors can follow these markers on foot and discover the economic history of the place without entering a museum.
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