Minden

The city of Minden is situated on the Weser river where it is crossed by the Mittelland Canal aqueduct in the district of Detmold in the northwestern German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, near the Minden water gap. The Romans initially settled the site, when it was known under the name Minthun. Charlemagne founded a military bishopric around the site in 800. Minden joined the Hanseatic League in the 13th century and prospered in trade and commerce. The town with the entire episcopal see passed to Brandenburg in 1648 and became a secular entity. The Prussian king Frederick II the Great fortified it in the18th century. It was occupied by French troops briefly during the Seven Years' Was but returned to Prussia with the Hanoverian and British victory at the Battle of Minden in 1759. It changed hands between Westphalia and Prussia in the early 19th century. It was heavily damaged in World War II. Minden today is an important center for rail, ship, and highway transportation. It has diverse industries including chemicals, glass, furniture, textiles, ceramics, heavy metals, farming, and cattle raising. Its surviving historic architecture includes the restored Gothic town hall and a cathedral, the medieval churches of St. Martin and St. Mary, and several "Weser Renaissance" houses. The estimated population for 2004 was 82,800.