Hanseatic city of Wesel

Wesel

The history of the town of Wesel is closely linked to the fact that it’s located where the Rhine and Lippe rivers meet. From the early 12th century onwards, the town developed into the most important dry docks and trading centres for imported goods from the Netherlands, Westphalia and overseas on the way to Cologne. In 1241 it received its town charter. In 1407 Wesel was incorporated into the Hanseatic League, and the reputation and wealth of the town and its burghers grew considerably. The Willibrordi Cathedral and the magnificent historic town hall façade at the Grosser Markt are evidence of this period. Its location on the Rhine and Lippe enabled Wesel to develop into a military hub throughout the later course of history and thus became an important fortress town. This was also a reason why it was almost completely destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. This eventful history still shapes Wesel today.