Bergisch Gladbach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bergisch Gladbach
Forecourt of Schloss Bensberg
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Köln
District	Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis
Elevation	51-267 m (−825.0 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	112,712
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	51401-51469
Dialling codes	02202, 02204, 02207
Vehicle registration	GL
Website	www.bergischgladbach.de

Bergisch Gladbach is a city in Germany. It is located in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. This city is the capital of the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis district.

Geography

Bergisch Gladbach is found east of the Rhine river. It is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the big city of Cologne.

City Structure

The city of Bergisch Gladbach is made up of many smaller areas. These areas used to be separate towns or villages. Over time, they grew together to form the city we know today. For example, Bensberg was its own town until 1975. Schildgen was part of another municipality before 1975.

Neighbouring Towns

Bergisch Gladbach shares borders with several other towns. If you start from the north and go clockwise, its neighbors are:

• Odenthal
• Kürten
• Overath
• Rösrath
• Cologne
• Leverkusen

History

People started settling in this area way back in the 13th century. However, Bergisch Gladbach officially became a town much later, in 1856.

Old castle and town hall of Bensberg

The name "Bergisch Gladbach" has an interesting story. The first part, Bergisch, comes from the counts who ruled this region a long time ago. They were called the Counts of Berg. This area later became known as the County of Berg.

The second part of the name, Gladbach, comes from an old local dialect. Gladbach means "canalized stream." This refers to the small river called the Strunde. This river was changed by people a very long time ago to make it flow in a specific way.

In 1975, a nearby town called Bensberg joined with Bergisch Gladbach. Then, in 1977, the city's population reached 100,000 people. Because of this, Bergisch Gladbach was officially given "city status."

Economy

Bergisch Gladbach has many different kinds of businesses. Some of the main industries include:

• Making paper
• Printing
• Producing glass wool
• Making chocolate
• High-tech industries

Twin Towns – Sister Cities

Bergisch Gladbach has special friendships with cities around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities." They work together on cultural and educational projects.

• Beit Jala, Palestine (since 2010)
• Bourgoin-Jallieu, France (since 1956)
• Bucha, Ukraine (since 2022)
• Ganei Tikva, Israel (since 2012)
• Joinville-le-Pont, France (since 1960)
• Limassol, Cyprus (since 1991)
• Luton, England (since 1956)
• Marijampolė, Lithuania (since 1989)
• Pszczyna, Poland (since 1993)
• Runnymede, England (since 1995)
• Velsen, Netherlands (since 1956)

Notable People

Many interesting people were born or lived in Bergisch Gladbach. Here are a few:

• Markus von Ahlen (born 1971), a footballer and coach
• Astrid Benöhr (born 1957), an amazing endurance athlete
• Sebastian Blomberg (born 1972), an actor
• Wolfgang Bosbach (born 1952), a politician
• Vanessa Fuchs (born 1996), winner of Germany's Next Topmodel in 2015
• Fabian Hambüchen (born 1987), a famous artistic gymnast
• Mats Hummels (born 1988), a well-known footballer
• Heidi Klum (born 1973), a famous model and TV presenter
• Carolin Kebekus (born 1980), a comedian, singer, and actress
• Tibor Pleiß (born 1989), a basketball player
• Tim Wiese (born 1981), a former football goalkeeper and wrestler

Secondary Schools in Bergisch Gladbach

The city has several secondary schools, which are schools for older students. These include:

• Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium Bensberg/Bergisch Gladbach
• Gymnasium Herkenrath/Bergisch Gladbach
• Nicolaus-Cusanus-Gymnasium Bergisch Gladbach
• Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium Bensberg/Bergisch Gladbach
• Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium Bergisch Gladbach
• Integrierte-Gesamtschule-Paffrath Bergisch Gladbach

See also

In Spanish: Bergisch Gladbach para niños