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Bochum (inhabited place) |
Coordinates: |
| Lat: 51 29 00 N degrees minutes |
Lat: 51.4833 decimal degrees |
| Long: 007 13 00 E degrees minutes |
Long: 7.2167 decimal degrees |
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Note: The city of Bochum lies in the middle of the industrial Ruhr district in the west-central German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located between Dortmund to the east and Essen to the west. Receiving charters in 1298 and 1321, it was ruled by the duchy of Cleves from 1461, then by Brandenburg from 1609. It functioned as a small agricultural town until 19th-century industrial development began to exploit its coal and iron reserves and steelmaking began. Due to its industrial importance it was heavily bombed and damaged in World War II. Surviving historic buildings are limited to three: the Propsteikirche of 1599, and, in the suburbs, the 13th-century Blankenstein Castle and an 11th-century church. The city today has a modern look, having been extensively rebuilt and expanded since 1946, and acquiring within its borders the neighboring city of Wattenscheid in 1975. Coal mining, once the main industry, ceased in 1973, and automobile manufacturing now dominates the economy. The city serves as the cultural, educational, and commercial center for the surrounding part of the Ruhr district. Its 2004 estimated population was 388,200. |
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Bochum (inhabited place) (P) |
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Place Types: |
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| inhabited place (preferred, C) |
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first documented in 1041, chartered in 1298 & 1321 |
| city (C) |
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| commercial center (C) |
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| industrial center (C) |
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| cultural center (C) |
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| educational center (C) |
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| mining center (H) |
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for coal & iron industries, from mid-19th cen. until last mine closed in 1973 |
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