Rotenburg an der Wümme

Infobox German Location
Art = Town
image_photo = Rotenburg Rathaus.jpg
image_caption = Town hall
Wappen = Wappen Rotenburg (Wümme).pnglat_deg = 53 |lat_min = 06 |lat_sec = 25
lon_deg = 09 |lon_min = 23 |lon_sec = 49
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Lower Saxony
Landkreis = Rotenburg (Wümme)
Höhe = 30
Fläche = 98.81
Einwohner = 22128
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 27356
Vorwahl = 04261
Kfz = ROW
Gemeindeschlüssel = 03 3 57 039
Gliederung = 5 districts
Straße = Große Straße 1
Website = [http://www.rotenburg-wuemme.de/ www.rotenburg-wuemme.de]
Bürgermeister = Detlef Eichinger
Partei = Independent
year = 1195

Rotenburg an der Wümme (until 1969: "Rotenburg in Hannover") is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Rotenburg.

Geography

Rotenburg is situated at the Wümme river, which in turn lies between the rivers Elbe and Weser at about the same latitude as Hamburg and Bremen, the latter lying 40km to the west. It is often called "Rotenburg (Wümme)" in order to distinguish it from the town Rotenburg an der Fulda in Hesse and Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria.

History

The town was founded in 1195, when the bishop of Verden built a castle at the place. The castle took its name from the colour of the bricks ("rot" means "red", "Burg" "castle"). The adjoining settlement remained a tiny village until the 19th century.