Soest, District capital in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Soest is a district capital in North Rhine-Westphalia, located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of Dortmund. The town center shows many buildings made of yellowish-green sandstone that form the townscape together with medieval church towers.
The settlement developed during the Middle Ages into an important member of the Hanseatic League and then counted more inhabitants than Cologne. In the 15th century it changed political allegiance from Cologne to Cleves after armed conflicts.
The town's name may come from an old word for salt, which was extracted here since Roman times. Visitors today notice the many churches built from greenish sandstone that shape the old center and speak to its former role as a trading hub.
The old town center can be explored easily on foot, as most churches and historic buildings lie close together. Those arriving by train reach the center from the station in a few minutes.
A medieval Norse saga names the town as capital of the Hunnic Empire under Attila. The South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences maintains a campus here with technical and business study programs.
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