Billerbeck

Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
Wappen = Wappen Billerbeck.pnglat_deg = 51 |lat_min = 58 |lat_sec = 45
lon_deg = 7 |lon_min = 17 |lon_sec = 42
Lageplan =
Bundesland = North Rhine-Westphalia
Regierungsbezirk = Münster
Kreis = Coesfeld
Höhe = 106
Fläche = 90.93
Einwohner = 11560
Stand = 2005-12-31
PLZ = 48727
Vorwahl = 02543
Kfz = COE
Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 5 58 008
Gliederung = 3
Straße = Markt 1
D-
Website = [http://www.billerbeck.de www.billerbeck.de]
Bürgermeister = Marion Dirks
Partei =

Billerbeck is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

Geography

Neighbor towns/cities

Billerbeck has boundaries to Rosendahl, Laer, Altenberge, Havixbeck, Nottuln and Coesfeld.

City Districts

* Stadt Billerbeck,
* Kirchspiel Billerbeck (until 1969)
* Beerlage (until 1969)

Growing due to law acts

On 1st of July 1969 the city surrounding areas: Alstätte, Bockelsdorf, Bombeck, Dörholt, Gantweg, Gerleve, Hamern, Lutum, Osthellen, Osthellermark and Westhellen - each part of former "Kirchspiel Aulendorf", Esking, Langenhorst und Temming - each part of former Beerlage were melted with Billerbeck.

Politics

Town council

26 Seats of the town council were given to different parties at local elections on 26th of September 2004:
* Cristian Democratic Union 14 Seats
* Socialdemocratic Party of Deutschland (Germany) 10 Seats
* Alliance '90/The Greens 2 Seats

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms shows the three rivers Berkel, Haulingbach and Lilienbeck in silver on blue background. Its origin can be followed back to the medieval Knights of Billerbeck.

Sistercity

*Englewood, Ohio

Culture and Sights

Theatre

In 1950 the citizens Alex Hesselmann and Bernhard Engbers founded the opea air-theatre of Billerbeck. It is still renown for its high class acting regarded that there are only acting non-pros.

Museums

The Kolvenburg comprises building parts of 15th and 16th century. This kind of mansion with its half-hipped roof is seen as typical housing of lower noble people in the area of Münsterland. Today it is the cultural centre of the County of Coesfeld changing exhibitions.

Buildings

* The Billerbeck Cathedral of Saint Ludger
* Cath. Church of St. Johannis
* Kolvenburg
* town hall , Markt 1. Neogothic building with blending made of sandstone, 1891, erected by "Hilger Hertel". Enlargement in 1948/49.
* Mansion Beckebans
* Richthof
* Abby Gerleve
* Mansion Hameren (Inh: Baron Twickel zu Degenhart)
* Arch diaconat (in duty for Billerbeck, Darfeld and [Holthausen] ), Johanniskirchplatz 11. L-formed massive building with hipped roof, in earlier times surrounded by a water. Oldest parts haven been erected in the early 16th century enlarged 1679.
* Ludgerus-fountain
* Marien chapel Aulendorf
* Evang. church centre
* cultural Centre "Alte Landwirtschaftsschule"
* Ludgerus-monastery
*Buildings for livin:
**street: MÜNSTERSTR. 4.: 16th century
**MÜNSTERSTR. 8.: 16th century or earlier.
**MÜNSTERSTR. 16.: the northern part and the back are from 16th century. Inside there is a chimney/fireplace of 1693 in style of late renaissance
**MÜNSTERSTR. 25.: The backhouse is of 16th century.

*The old church of St. Johannis (from 1234) is completely surrounded by simple styled half-timbered buildings (little storage buildings). The oldest are from late medieval age but have been re-arranged several times. Street: JOHANNSIKIRCHHOF 2, 1513 d. - Nr. 7, 1492 d.

Parks

* Longinusturm in the "treehills" Baumbergen
* Berkel-Auen (the river Berkel starts here)
* Leisure- and Sports Centre Helker Berg

Economy and Infrastructure

Traffic

Billerbeck can be reached by car via the autobahn. From north-east on autobahn A1 at interjunction "Havixbeck/Billerbeck", from south on autobahn A43 at interjunction "Nottuln/Billerbeck", from west on autobahn A31 at interjunction "Coesfeld".

Public Transport

Billerbeck is located on the train line from Münster to Coesfeld, the so called "tree hills line" ("Baumbergebahn"). The modernised station building offers a café for cultural Events and a bicycle rental station.

A further train station in Billerbeck is located in Lutum, which is a countryside train station. The town of Billerbeck is part of the public transport association of the Münsterland VGM. Therefore some bus lines also stop at Billerbeck, connecting the town to its neighbouring towns and cities.

Business

Biggest employer in Billerbeck is the company "Dr. Suwelack" founded by Wolfgang Suwelack and employing 410 staff. It is working on the sector of nutrition production and skin care. Also it is operating one of the most advanced and biggest nutriton shockfrosting sites in Europe.A medium-sized metal-working industry can be found there as well as several trading companies, and service industry (e.g. 7 haircutters, 3 undertakers and a filmproduction company).

Billerbeck is an important centre of tourism as it is only half-an-hour away for the 7 million people of the Rhein-Ruhr-Area and is also a place of pilgrimage as Ludger, the first bishop of Münster, died there in the year 809. Last but not least bycicling is very popular in the region which is manifested in 800 kilometres of bicycle and pedestrian streets. For these reasons the gastronomy is well developed and offers a great variety related to the city's number of inhabitants.

Hotels / Restaurants / Bistros:

* Restaurant Hahnenkamp
* Hotel Weißenburg
* Domschenke Groll
* Tagungshotel Billerbecker Hof
* Bürgerhaus Möllmann-Daldrup
* Hotel Homoet
* Cox Orange
* u.a.

Cafés:

* Billerbeck's Bahnhof
* Domcafé Frede
* Eiscafé de Fanti
* Café Kunstleben
* and further more

Education

In Billerbeck there are the Grundschule (basic school - school years 1-4) at two locations, the Realschule (secondary modern school/junior high - 5-10) and a Hauptschule (secondary school - 5-10). 5 Kindergartens and 2 day care units are operated in the city.

Religion

In Billerbeck there are the Roman-Catholic and the evangelistic churches present.

The Catholic "Pfarr- und Propsteigemeinde St. Johann / St. Ludgerus" Billerbeck has its roots in the 8th century.

Very renown and with great importance far ahead of Billerbeck there is the abby of Benedictine- St. Joseph at Billerbeck-Gerleve. It is part of the Beuron congregation and lead sind 1999 by prior Pius Engelbert O.S.B. The abby also contains a house for retreat, a youth education unit, and a religious book store.

The evangelic church centre (Protestant) "Vom guten Hirten" (of the good shepherd) in Billerbeck is a modern style church with affiliated centre of parish.

Literature

* "Westfälischer Städteatlas"; Band: VI; 1 Teilband. Im Auftrage der Historischen Kommission für Westfalen und mit Unterstützung des Landschaftsverbandes Westfalen-Lippe, hrsg. von Heinz Stoob † und Wilfried Ehbrecht. Stadtmappe Billerbeck, Author: Peter Ilisch. ISBN 978-3-89115-145-7; Dortmund-Altenbeken, 1999.Peter Ilisch, Zur Siedlungsgenese von Billerbeck. Westfälische Zeitschrift 129, 1979, S. 9-56.Peter Ilisch, Zum Erscheinungsbild münsterländischer Kirchhöfe vor 1800 - Das Beispiel St. Johann zu Billerbeck. Geschichtsblätter des Kreises Coesfeld 4, 1979, S. 114-131.Peter Ilisch, Die Vikarien zu Billerbeck. Geschichtsblätter des Kreises Coesfeld 28, 2003, S. 1-25.

clubs, societies, groups, institutions

* DJK-VfL Billerbeck (sports club - football, tennis, athletics etc.)
* Katholische Landjugend Bewegung Billerbeck (Catholic youth movement billerbeck)
* Bürgerschützenverein Aulendorf
* Capellengemeinde-Aulendorf
* Freilichtbühne Billerbeck
* Förderverein Domorgel Billerbeck
* Förderverein Mahnmal
* Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Ortverein Billerbeck
* KJG-Ferienwerk Billerbeck
* Kolpingsfamilie Billerbeck
* Suwelack-Stiftung
* Tennisclub Billerbeck
* Sister-City-Club Billerbeck

External links

* [http://www.lwl.org/kulturatlas/jump.php?ortid=27 Billerbeck im Kulturatlas Westfalen]
* Billerbeck, Peter - University of St. Thomas [http://personal.stthomas.edu/pjbillerbeck/index1.htm Homepage]