Frechen

Frechen is a town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Frechen was first mentioned in 877. It is situated at the western Cologne city border.

Frechen
Protestant church
Coat of arms
Location of Frechen within Rhein-Erft-Kreis district
Frechen Show map of Germany Frechen Show map of North Rhine-Westphalia
Coordinates: 50°55′N 6°49′E
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Cologne
District	Rhein-Erft-Kreis
Subdivisions	9
Government
• Mayor	Susanne Stupp (CDU)
Area
• Total	45.11 km2 (17.42 sq mi)
Highest elevation	158 m (518 ft)
Lowest elevation	58 m (190 ft)
Population  (2018-12-31)[1]
• Total	52,473
• Density	1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	50226
Dialling codes	02234
Vehicle registration	BM
Website	www.stadt-frechen.de

It is the site of the 1257 Battle of Frechen between Conrad von Hochstaden, Archbishop of Cologne and the people of the town. In the 16th century it acquired a name for its terra cotta artifacts, especially the "Bartmannskrug" (beardman jug). In the late 18th century lignite was industrially mined. Digging for lignite dominated the city's economy until the end of the 20th century. In 1891 the first briquette factory was opened. On 2 September 1951 Frechen received its city-rights including the villages of Bachem, Hücheln and Buschbell. On 1 January 1975 the nearby villages of Grefrath, Habbelrath, Königsdorf and Neufreimersdorf were also incorporated. From the 1980s onwards an increasing number of industrial, commercial and service enterprises choose Frechen as their location, so that the town changed its features considerably.