Lemgo is a university town in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, between the Teutoburg Forest and the Weser Uplands. Founded in 1190 by Bernard II, Lord of Lippe, at the crossing of two merchant routes, it is considered the oldest town in the former principality of Lippe. The town adopted Lutheranism in 1522 and later resisted forced conversion to Calvinism, a conflict resolved by the 1617 Peace of Rohrentrup. Its historic center survived World War II undestroyed, preserving its Renaissance-era character, and the town had a population of about 39,959 at the end of 2025.
Facts
Area (sq km) Founding Year Founding Year Population Estimate Year Elevation (m) Latitude52.027681 degrees north 1 FAQs
Why was Lemgo founded where it is?
It was founded in 1190 by the lords of Lippe as a planned town at a crossing of important trade routes.
Lemgo was founded in 1190 at a crossing point of important trade routes, as a planned town laid out by the lords of Lippe.
Sources
1. Lemgo (Wikidata)
P1082 (population)
population 39,959 (2025)
P625 (coordinate location)
latitude 52.027681, longitude 8.9043
P2044 (elevation above sea level)
elevation 100 m
P2046 (area)
area 100.85 sq km
P1082 (population), P585 (point in time)
population 39959 (2025)
View the Source2. Wikipedia (German): Lemgo
Wikipedia (German)Article text: founding statementQuote, Article text: founding statement
Lemgo wurde 1190 an einem Kreuzungspunkt wichtiger Handelswege als Planstadt durch die Herren zu Lippe gegründet.
Lemgo (Wikipedia)
- In Group: Cities of Western Europe (World), Wikipedia; part-of country and UN M49 subregion
On Continent: Europe, Lead paragraph names Germany; continent follows from the atlas record for Germany
and old Hanseatic town in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
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