Hamm

Hamm (German pronunciation: [ˈham], Latin: Hammona) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway. Hamm railway station is an important hub for rail transport and renowned for its distinctive station building.

History

Coat of arms

The coat of arms has been in use in its present form for about 750 years. It shows the markish chessboard ("märkischen Schachbalken") in red and silver on a golden field. Originally it was the founders' coat of arms, i. e. the Counts of Mark. The chessboard and the colours are often displayed in the coats of arms of further towns founded by that family line. Similarly, the colours of the city are red and white.

Overview

The name Ham means "corner" in the old Low German dialect spoken at that time. In the old times the name thom Hamme would be used, which evolved slowly into its modern form Hamm. The name derives from the description of the Hamm's location in the corner of the Lippe river and the narrow Ahse affluent, where it was founded on Ash Wednesday in March 1226 by Count Adolf I of the Mark.

Hamm (Verbandsgemeinde)

Hamm is a Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") in the district of Altenkirchen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the Verbandsgemeinde is in Hamm.

The Verbandsgemeinde Hamm consists of the following Ortsgemeinden ("local municipalities"):

Coordinates: 50°46′01″N 7°40′34″E / 50.767°N 7.676°E / 50.767; 7.676

Hamm, Bitburg-Prüm

Hamm is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.

Hamm consists of only a few houses along the Hauptstrasse (main street). It is overlooked by Hamm Castle which dates back to the 11th century and is one of the largest medieval castles in the Eifel region.

References