Rendsburg

Rendsburg
Railway bridge
Rendsburg
Coordinates	54°18′0″N 9°40′0″E / 54.3°N 9.666667°E / 54.3; 9.666667
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Schleswig-Holstein
District	Rendsburg-Eckernförde
Mayor	Andreas Breitner (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area	23.72 km2 (9.16 sq mi)
Elevation	6 m  (20 ft)
Population	28,476  (31 December 2006)
- Density	1,201 /km2 (3,109 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	RD
Postal code	24768
Area code	04331
Website	www.rendsburg.de
Location of the town of Rendsburg within Rendsburg-Eckernförde district

Rendsburg (Danish: Rendsborg) is a town on the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis (district) of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. As of 2006, it had a population of 28,476.

Close view of transporter bridge.

History

Rendsburg's foundation date is unknown. Rendsburg was first mentioned in 1199. An old form of its name was Reynoldsburgh.

It became a part of Holstein in the 13th century, but was transferred to Schleswig in 1460. Many times the town passed from Danish to German control and vice versa. In the German-Danish War in 1864 Rendsburg was finally seized by Kingdom of Prussia and Austria. After 1866 the town was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. Since that time it has remained part of Germany.

Its importance rose in 1895, when the Kiel Canal was finished. Although situated inland, Rendsburg became a seaport and a dockyard.

Main sights

The most prominent structure in town, a railway bridge made of steel, 2,500 m in length and 41 in height, was constructed in 1913. It is the longest railway bridge in Europe. Mounted on the railway bridge, the Kiel Canal is also traversed by a transporter bridge, one of only twenty ever built. The German Army's Air Defence School and the Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz is located in Rendsburg.

Other sights include:

• Town hall, 16th century
• Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church), 1286
• Kiel Canal Pedestrian Tunnel, longest pedestrian tunnel in the world
• The longest bench in the world (501 m), on the banks of the Kiel Canal

Twinnings

Rendsburg is twinned with:

• Lancaster, United Kingdom, since 1950
• Vierzon, France, since 1954
• Aalborg, Denmark, since 1967
• Haapsalu, Estonia, since 1989
• Kristianstad, Sweden, since 1992
• Skien, Norway, since 1995
• Rathenow, Germany, since 1989

Rendsbug has also friendship agreements with:

• Almere, the Netherlands, since 1994
• Piteå, Sweden, since 1978
• Racibórz, Poland, since 1995

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