Reichshof (German pronunciation:[ˈʁaɪçsˌhoːf]) is a North Rhine-Westphalian municipality in the Oberbergischer Kreis in Germany, about 40km east of Cologne. It is a health resort, known for its good climate. The municipality consists of 106 villages and hamlets. The most important villages are Denklingen (population about 2000), Eckenhagen (1900), Brüchermühle (1700) and Wildbergerhütte (1600).
History
While sources on the early history of the area are scarce, the name of the city[clarification needed] suggests it was first founded during the reign of Charlemagne. It was first officially mentioned on August 1, 1167, when it was granted as a gift by Friedrich I (Barbarossa) to Archbishop Rainald of Cologne.
As a consequence of the municipal reorganization of 1969, the formerly independent municipalities Denklingen and Eckenhagen were consolidated into the municipality of Reichshof. The management of the municipality of Reichshof takes place in Denklingen.
Demographics
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1991
17,394
—
1992
17,641
+1.42%
1993
18,277
+3.61%
1994
18,521
+1.34%
1995
18,860
+1.83%
1996
19,109
+1.32%
1997
19,366
+1.34%
1998
19,587
+1.14%
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1999
19,805
+1.11%
2000
20,019
+1.08%
2001
20,242
+1.11%
2008
20,185
−0.04%
2019
18,600
−0.74%
2020
19,025
+2.28%
2021
18,993
−0.17%
2022
19,128
+0.71%
Features of interest
The area has swimming pools and various sporting facilities (tennis, horse racing, shooting galleries, a gymnasium and a bicycle park). There are also several elementary schools.
The Denklingen Railway Bridge is a protected heritage site, part of the Wiehl Valley Railway (Wiehltalbahn). Various museums, churches and parks are open to visitors, along with historic mills and Denklingen Castle.
Companies in the new industrial area of Wehnrat include Ralf Bohle GmbH, producers of Schwalbe bicycle tires, SCEMTEC Transponder Technology GmbH, and Stahlbau GmbH (textiles).
