Soest, Germany Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Soest

Flag	Coat of arms

Country

Germany

State

North Rhine-Westphalia

Elevation

90 m (300 ft)

Population

(2022-12-31)

• Total

48,607

CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

59494

02921

Website

www.soest.de

Imperial and Hanseatic City of Soest

Freie Hansestadt Soest

1449–1609

Status

Imperial, Hanseatic City of the Holy Roman Empire

Capital

Soest

Government

Republic

Historical era

Middle Ages

• Mentioned in
Dagobertsche Schenkung

836

• Soest Feud to gain
Reichsfreiheit from
Abp Cologne

1444–49 1449

• Annexed by
    Brandenburg, with
    Cleves, on extinction
    of its ducal line

1609 1609

Preceded by

Succeeded by

Archbishopric of Cologne

Margraviate of Brandenburg

St Patrokli Dom (St Patroclus's Cathedral), in Soest

Soest is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. Soest is known for its long history and beautiful old buildings.

Geography
- Nearby Towns
History of Soest
St Patroclus's Cathedral
Coat of Arms
Twin Towns
Images for kids
See also

Geography

Soest is located along an old trade route called the Hellweg road. It is about 50 kilometres east of Dortmund. It is also about 50 kilometres west of Paderborn.

Nearby Towns

Soest has several towns close by. These towns are:

Bad Sassendorf
Ense
Lippetal
Möhnesee
Werl
Welver

History of Soest

The area around Soest has very rich soil. People lived here long before the year 836. That's when the village was first mentioned in an old document. Even though the document's exact origin is unknown, we know people lived in Soest for a very long time. Digs have found signs of people living here over 4000 years ago!

Growth and Importance

In the 11th and 12th century, Soest grew a lot. It became one of the biggest cities in Westphalia. About 10,000 people lived there. Soest was also an important member of the Hanseatic League. This was a powerful group of trading cities in Northern Europe. Soest remained a member until 1609.

Soest's Fight for Freedom

From 1444 to 1449, Soest fought for its freedom. It wanted to be free from the Bishop of Cologne. The Bishop used to control Westphalia. This fight was called the Soester Fehde. Soest won its freedom, but it came at a high cost. The city lost much of its trade. This was because two-thirds of the "freed" town was surrounded by lands ruled by others.

When the last Duke of Cleves died in 1609, his land was taken by Brandenburg. After a short fight, Soest also became part of Brandenburg. During and after the Thirty Years' War, Soest lost many people. It also lost much of its power. At its lowest point in 1756, only 3,600 people lived there.

Modern Soest

Soest slowly started to gain influence again in 1817. This was when the Soest district was formed. However, the big growth of factories in the Ruhr Area did not reach Soest. It remained a smaller city.

From 1953 to 1971, many Canadian soldiers and their families lived near Soest. They were stationed in military camps. There were also Belgian military bases in Soest itself. Later, from 1971 to 1993, British military families used these areas. After the military facilities closed, some buildings were used for other purposes. Others were taken down. For example, old military housing became homes for regular families.

St Patroclus's Cathedral

In 960, Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne moved the St Patroclus's relics (holy items). He buried them in 964 at St Patroclus's Cathedral in Soest. St Patroclus is still honored there today.

The Cathedral is a beautiful example of early medieval "Romanesque" architecture. This means it was built in an old, grand style. It is made from local greenish sandstone. Its large, square bell tower can be seen from many kilometers away. It stands tall in the center of the old city. It is a famous landmark of the Soester Boerde area.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Soest shows a key. This key is a symbol for Saint Peter. Saint Peter was the patron saint of Cologne. The city's coat of arms did not change, even after Soest was no longer controlled by Cologne.