Ahlen (German pronunciation: [ˈaːlən] ⓘ; Westphalian: Aulen) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 30 km southeast of Münster.

[citation needed] Ahlen is part of the larger Münster region, and of the historic Münsterland area.

Surrounding Ahlen are the towns of Sendenhorst, Ennigerloh, Beckum, Lippetal, Heessen (District of the city of Hamm) and Drensteinfurt.

Within the safe haven of this church fortification, the first settlers were craftsmen and merchants who traded with the local farmers and peasants of the court.

Ahlen grew quickly during the 13th century and in or about the year 1285, the population was so high that a new church (St. Marien) was founded next to the old one (St. Bartholomäus).

[4] Blazon: “In red, a gold crowned, inwardly curved, seven-fold winged silver eel.

”The oldest seal shows the pious eel in the city gate, above it Saint Bartholomew.

[5] [6] One of the best known companies in Ahlen is Franz Kaldewei GmbH & Co. KG, one of the biggest bathtub manufacturers worldwide.

The Sekundarschule and TMG used the building of the former Realschule Ahlen's economy was dominated by the coal industry for nearly one century.