Brilon, Hanseatic municipality in Hochsauerlandkreis, Germany.
Brilon is a municipality in the northeastern Sauerland that spreads across rolling forested uplands and open plateaus. The settlement consists of a compact historic town center and several rural villages connected by farm tracks and forest roads.
A document from 973 mentions the settlement for the first time under Emperor Otto II. In 1220, Archbishop Engelbert I of Cologne granted town rights to the fortified site and supported its development as a strategic trading point.
The town name may derive from a Celtic word for hill, reflecting its position across several elevated ridges. Visitors today walk through winding lanes in the old core and see remnants of medieval fortifications built into houses and gardens.
The old town can be crossed on foot in less than half an hour, though cobblestones create uneven surfaces in some areas. Several parking areas on the edge of town ease access for drivers, while rail travelers face short walks to the center.
The local rifle association holds a charter from 1417, considered the oldest such document in Westphalia. This tradition continues in annual events where townspeople parade through the streets in historical dress.
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