Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis (district) of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the cultural region of Minden Land. It is widely known as the intersection of the Mittelland Canal and the River Weser. The town is over 1200 years old and has many buildings in the Weser Renaissance style, in addition to the architecturally symbolic 1000 year old cathedral.

Geographic Location

    Weser watershedMinden is in the northeast of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia. It lies on the river Weser, north of the Porta Westfalica gap between the Wesergebirge and the Wiehen Hills ridges. The Weser leaves the Weser Uplands and flows into the North German Plain in the town districts of Dützen and Haddenhausen. The town centre lies 5 km to the north, on a plateau on the western side of the river. The small Bastau stream flows into the Weser from the west near the town centre. The edge of the plateau marks the transition from the middle Weser valley to the Lübbecker loess country. This marked change in terrain divides the upper town from the lower town, and marks the boundary between two ecological zones. The formation of the town was strongly influenced by the Prussian fortress of Minden, whose demolished fortifications now provide a green belt around the town centre.

    Minden is 40 km (25 mi) NE of Bielefeld, 60 km (37 mi) W of Hanover, 80 km (50 mi) S of Bremen and 60 km (37 mi) E of Osnabrück. It provides the historic and political focus for the surrounding countryside.

    The Mittellandkanal traverses the town from east to west, while the Weser flows from south to north. These waterways cross in the northern area of the town at the Minden Wasserstra?enkreuz (waterway crossing).

    The lowest part of the town is in the district of Leteln, at 40 m, while the highest part is in the district of Haddenhausen at 181 m. The altitude of the town is given officially as 42.2 m, based on the altitude of the town hall.

    The town covers an area of 101,08 km2. It extends 13.1 km from north to south and 14.1 km from east to west.