Rheinisch-Bergische Rural District facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis
District
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Adm. region	Cologne
Capital	Bergisch Gladbach
Area
• Total	437.64 km2 (168.97 sq mi)
Population  (2004)
• Total	279,397
• Density	638.417/km2 (1,653.494/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Vehicle registration	GL
Website	http://www.rbk-online.de

The Rheinisch-Bergische Kreis is a special kind of area called a Kreis (which means district in German). It's located right in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, a big state in Germany. The main town, or capital, of this district is Bergisch Gladbach.

What's on the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis Coat of Arms?

The official coat of arms for the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis

A coat of arms is like a special symbol or logo for a place. The coat of arms for the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis tells a story about its history and location.

Symbols and Their Meanings

• The top part of the coat of arms has a silver band. This band shows that the district is close to the famous Rhine river. This symbol was first used by the old Prussian province called Rhineland.
• On the left side, you can see two double bars. These bars are thought to represent a castle. They were used by the early rulers of the area, known as the earls of Berg, way back around the year 1100.
• Later, in 1225, new rulers came to the area. These were the dukes of Limburg. They added their own special sign to the coat of arms: a red lion with a blue tongue. This lion became part of the earldom's symbol.

Cities and Towns in the District

The Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis is made up of several interesting cities and towns. Here are the main ones:

Cities

• Bergisch Gladbach
• Burscheid
• Leichlingen
• Overath
• Rösrath
• Wermelskirchen

Municipalities

• Kürten
• Odenthal