Unna () is a city of around 59,000 people in
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, the seat of the
Unna district.
The newly refurbished
Unna station has trains to all major cities in
North Rhine Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
including
Dortmund
Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
,
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
,
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
,
Hamm,
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
and
Wuppertal
Wuppertal (; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, with a population of 355,000. Wuppertal is the seventh-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and List of cities in Germany by population, 17th-largest in Germany. It ...
. There is also the
Regional-Express
In Germany, Luxembourg and Austria, the Regional-Express (; RE, or in Austria: REX) is a type of regional train. It is similar to a semi-fast train, with a top speed of and an average speed of about as it calls at fewer stations than ''R ...
7 (
Rhein-Münsterland-Express), which runs from
Rheine
Rheine () is a city in the district of Steinfurt (district), Steinfurt in Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city in the district and the location of Rheine Air Base.
Geography
Rheine is on the river Ems (river), Ems, about north of Münster ...
via Cologne to
Krefeld
Krefeld ( , ; ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its c ...
.
Geography
Unna is situated on an ancient salt-trading route, the
Westphalian Hellweg. Trade on this route and during the period of the
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
came from as far as London. The city is located at the eastern extremity of the
Ruhr district, about east of the centre of
Dortmund
Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
. Unna also serves as a dormitory city, being home to many commuters who work in
Dortmund
Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
and other nearby cities. Local dialects of German include
Westfälisch and
Ruhrpott. The recreational district of
Sauerland
The Sauerland () is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of the States of Germany, German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited.
...
is nearby. The River
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr Area, sometimes Ruhr District, Ruhr Region, or Ruhr Valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 1,160/km2 and a populati ...
runs just south of Unna through
Fröndenberg
Fröndenberg (; Westphalian: ''Frönnenbiärg'') is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Fröndenberg is situated in the Ruhr valley, approx. 10 km south-east of the district capital Unna, near th ...
, before heading through the main part of the Ruhr district.
Districts
Unna consists of the following districts:
* Unna (city centre)
* Königsborn
* Massen
* Afferde
* Billmerich
* Kessebüren
* Mühlhausen and Uelzen
* Lünern and Stockum
* Hemmerde, Westhemmerde and Siddinghausen
Massen and Königsborn are former industrial and mining areas; the other districts have a more rural character.
History
The history of human settlement in what is now the city of Unna can be traced back to the
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
Era.

In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, Unna gained significance as a way station on the
Hellweg. It is first recorded by name in an ecclesiastical document of 1032. Around 1200, Count Friedrich von
Altena-Isenberg was invested with the fiefdom of Unna, among other estates, by the
archbishop-electorate of Cologne. Over the next few hundred years the town was repeatedly fought over, and burned down several times. In the 14th century the town became wealthy: a mint was established and regional trade blossomed. This is documented by the discovery of around 70 gold coins during excavation works in 1952. The coins originated from various countries and are thought to have been buried around 1375.
From the mid-15th century on, the city was a notable trade centre and member of the
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. In 1597 more than half the population died of the
Bubonic plague
Bubonic plague is one of three types of Plague (disease), plague caused by the Bacteria, bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and ...
. In the early 17th century, the town changed hands several times in religious wars, and in 1666 fell under the control of
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
. In the early 19th century, the primary character of the town started to change from agricultural to industrial, with improved communications by road, rail and waterways. Coal mining started in 1870, together with industries dependent on it. The population rose from around 2,500 at the start of the 19th century to 15,000 in 1900.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the city district Königsborn (then ''Bad Königsborn'') gained prominence as a
health resort with
mineral spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage un ...
s. The cityscape of Königsborn still shows many historic buildings from that era, and the former spa gardens still serve as a recreation place for locals and tourists. In 2013, a geological survey showed that the mineral springs could still be used for health purposes.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, in 1943-45 there were major air attacks directed at the significant barracks and other military installations in the city. In the older part of the city, there are many half-timbered buildings built between the 16th and 19th centuries. Unna's economy was largely based on agriculture until the 19th century, when it became industrialised. After World War II, the artisan district which had survived bombing was largely torn down to make way for modern development; however many of the buildings have been restored.
Culture

Unna is seat of the world's only
art museum
An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own Collection (artwork), collection. It might be in public or private ownership, be accessible to all, or have restrictions in place. Although ...
dedicated exclusively to the collection and presentation of
Light art, the
Centre for International Light Art (CILA). It is located in the former Linden brewery, a red brick industrial building complex dating from the 19th century close to the heart of the city. Its landmark is an installation of
Fibonacci number
In mathematics, the Fibonacci sequence is a Integer sequence, sequence in which each element is the sum of the two elements that precede it. Numbers that are part of the Fibonacci sequence are known as Fibonacci numbers, commonly denoted . Many w ...
s by Italian artist
Mario Merz on the brewery's chimney (the thirteenth-century mathematician
Leonardo Fibonacci lived in
Pisa
Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
, twinned with Unna since 1996). The light art installations are integrated into the industrial structures of the brewery's former cellar vaults. The former brewery buildings are also home to the city library, the adult education centre (Volkshochschule), and the tourist information centre.

Unna's ''Hellweg Museum'', a regional history museum, is located in the medieval Unna castle. Many historic buildings as well as parts of the city wall, including towers near the artisan quarter, remain intact and in good condition. Unna holds the largest Italian festival north of
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
every two years (happily named ''Un(n)a Festa Italiana''), when buildings are decorated with light installations by artists from
Bari
Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
in Italy. An annual Christmas market and a city festival are located in the Old Market Square, stretching from there through the pedestrian area to the city hall.

Unna is home to a large community of artists, some of whose works are on public display in the city. In the Old Market Square, e.g., there is a statue by painter and sculptor
Josef Baron, depicting a man pulling a stubborn donkey, which is the city mascot.

A common part of traditional German drinking culture, numerous breweries once formed part of the cityscape, of which the largest and most well known was the ''Lindenbrauerei'' (formerly ''Linden-Adler-Brauerei''). It marketed its products under the name ''Lindenbier'' or ''Lindenpils''. Most of the breweries have since closed down, but the Lindenbrauerei started a small-scale production again at the beginning of the 21st century. In common with other German towns, Unna also produces its own traditional herbal liquor, 'Herting Pörter', named after the city's Herting gate or 'port'. The liquor is produced near where the gate used to be, and is sold locally.
Economy
Until the mid-nineteenth century the focus of Unna's economy was on the region's agriculture. Industrialisation rapidly followed. In contrast with the switch to service sector employment in some industrial towns further west in the Ruhr area, most of the jobs in Unna are still in heavy industry (iron and metal work, machine manufacturing) or craft based. Since 1972, the
nickel
Nickel is a chemical element; it has symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive, but large pieces are slo ...
alloys producer
VDM Metals operates a melting and casting plant in Unna, for example. Also known is Alexis Tsiami, who has developed new methods for opening car doors.
In recent years Unna has boomed as a logistics centre. It houses the former distribution centre for the (recently much diminished)
Karstadt
Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH was a German department store chain whose headquarters were in Essen.
Until 30 September 2010 the company was a subsidiary of Arcandor, Arcandor AG (which was known until 30 June 2007 as KarstadtQuelle AG) and was respo ...
department store chain; the distribution centre has been acquired by the
DHL
DHL (originally named after founders Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) is a multinational Import-Export Expert Company, founded in the United States and headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It provides courier, package delivery, and express mail service, ...
division of
Deutsche Post
(, ) is a brand of the DHL Group (listed as ), used for its domestic mail services in Germany. The services offered under the brand are those of a traditional mail service, making the brand the successor of the former state-owned mail monopoly ...
. There is also a
DPD distribution centre along with a central distribution depot for the pump producer
Wilo. Another large logistics complex belonging to DHL came into operation in 2008.
Twin towns – sister cities
Unna is
twinned with:
*
Waalwijk
Waalwijk () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands. It had a population of in and is located near the A59 and N261 motorways. The villages of Capelle, Vrijhoeve-Capelle, Sprang (the former mun ...
, Netherlands (1968)
*
Enkirch, Germany (1969)
*
Palaiseau
Palaiseau () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Palaiseau is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Palaiseau.
Palaiseau was a royal doma ...
, France (1969)
*
Döbeln, Germany (1989)
*
Ajka
Ajka () is a city in Hungary with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is situated in the hills of Bakony.
History
Around 1000 BCE, the area was inhabited by Celts. By the second century CE, the territory was conquered by the Roman Empire, Romans. The Hu ...
, Hungary (1990)
*
Pisa
Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
, Italy (1996)
Notable people

*
Johannes von Soest (1448–1506), medieval musician, music theorist, poet, and composer
*
Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608), poet and composer, pastor in Unna in 1596–1601
*
Karl Andreas Duker (1670–1752), philologist, rhetorician, historian, professor and rector of
University of Utrecht
Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of 39,769 students, a ...
*
Hermann Cremer (1834–1903), theologian
*
Hermann Osthoff
Hermann Osthoff (18 April 1847 – 7 May 1909) was a German linguist. He was involved in Indo-European studies and the Neogrammarian school. He is known for formulating Osthoff's law and published widely on Indo-European word-formation and m ...
(1847–1909), linguist, co-founder of the
Junggrammatiker
*
Thea Rasche (1899–1971), artist
*
Paul Verhoeven
Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch filmmaker, who has worked variously in the Netherlands, the United States, and in France. He is known for directing genre films with strong satirical elements, often featuring graphic violence and ...
(1901–1975), actor and director
*
Hermann Schomberg
Hermann Schomberg (22 August 1907 – 16 November 1975) was a German film actor, film and television actor.Giesen p.194
Filmography
References
Bibliography
* Giesen, Rolf. ''Nazi Propaganda Films: A History and Filmography''. McFarland, 2003. ...
(1907–1975), actor
*
Inge Donnepp (1918–2002), lawyer and politician
*
Sibylle Knauss (born 1944), writer
*
Roland Pröll (born 1949), pianist
*
Peter F. Woeste (born 1950), cinematographer, director, professor at
Capilano University
Capilano University (CapU) is a teaching-focused public university based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, with programming that also serves the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Sunshi ...
*
Rudi Rauer (1950–2014), handball player
*
Petra Reski (born 1958), journalist and writer
*
Peter Menne (born 1960), set designer, painter
*
Bernd Stelter (born 1961), singer and cabaret artist
*
Sönke Möhring (born 1972), actor
*
Giuseppe Reina (born 1972), footballer
*
Marco Jakobs (born 1974), bobsledder
*
Sabine Heinrich (born 1976), presenter
*
Christofer Heimeroth (born 1981), footballer
*
Christina Hammer (born 1990), boxer
*
Laura Nolte (born 1998), bobsleigh pilot
Gallery
Stadtkirche Unna Nachtbeleuchtung IMGP2569.jpg, City church with evening lighting
Unna Katharinenkirche in der Abendsonne.jpg, Church of St Catherine
Unna Illumination italienisches Fest 2007.jpg, Italian Festival 2007
Unna Wasserstrasse.jpg, Looking down ''Wasserstraße'' - Waterstreet
Unna Inner City Lindenbrauerei.jpg, Unna, Inner City in direction of Lindenbrauerei
Massener Hof, Unna-Massen.jpg, ''Massener Hof'', Unna-Massen
Unna, Weihnachtsmarkt 2018, Markt.jpg, Unna, Weihnachtsmarkt 2018, Christmas market, Markt
See also
*
Grafenwalder, a private brand beer, made in Unna
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
Members of the Hanseatic League
Unna (district)