Paderborn

The northwestern German city of Paderborn is situated on the Pader river, a small stream that flows into the Lippe river, in the Detmold district of North Rhine-Westphalia. Paderborn was the site of the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire when Charlemagne and Pope Leo III met to discuss the creation of a Germanic state in 799. An episcopal see was founded there in 805, and prince bishops governed the town from about 1100 until 1802. It became the site of imperial diets, and joined the Hanseatic League in the 13th century. It came under the rule of Prussia in 1802. It was severely damaged in World War II, but some historic architecture remains, much of it in restored condition. These structures include the cathedral built between the 11th and 13th centuries, several churches of the same era, the Renaissance town hall of 1613, the Baroque Franciscan church of 1681, and the Jesuit church of 1682-1686. The local ecclesiastical museum holds the "Madonna" of Bishop Imad, an important sculpture dating from the 11th century. The city of today is an important transportation and cultural center, known for its cattle, beer, and bread. Other economic activities are heavy industry and the production of chemicals, building materials, and textiles. The estimated population for 2004 was 142,300.