In 1072, Archbishop Anno of Cologne endowed the Grafschaft Abbey and granted it, among other things, rights to an estate in Attendorn.

Furthermore, the town's political and ecclesiastical status as a bulwark against the County of Mark and as seat of a deanery in the old Archbishopric of Cologne brought it wealth and prosperity.

Attendorn was only an indirect member of the Hanse, and was thus represented at the Hanseatic League’s great assemblies by the town of Soest.

Mediaeval coins from Attendorn have been found as far afield as Brussels, Łubnice (Poland) and the island of Gotland.

In 1444 and 1445, the town helped the Archbishop conquer the castle and the land of Bilstein in the so-called Soest Feud.

Attendorn reached its deepest economic despair in Napoleonic times, only recovering from the downturn in the mid-19th century.

[3] As in many places, this included destruction of property, boycotting Jewish stores, appropriating factories, and shipping Jews to concentration camps.

A Nazi civilian forced-labor camp was established in Attendorn to provide labor to area factories.

[4] Attendorn lost many citizens during the war and suffered heavy destruction under bombing on 28 March 1945, and also on 15 June that same year as a result of a munitions explosion.

The town of Attendorn lies in the Naturpark Ebbegebirge, right on the Biggesee (lake) in the district's northwest.

The town's highest point is the Rüenhardt (636 m), whereas the Ahauser Stausee (reservoir) has an elevation of only 248 m. The municipal area comprises 97 km², roughly half of which is wooded.

Attendorn is subdivided into the following communities (with population figures):[5] Albringhausen (91), Attendorn (13,684), Berlinghausen (20), Beukenbeul (291), Biekhofen (623), Biggen (55), Borghausen (26), Bremge bei Ennest (7), Bremge/Biggesee (37), Bürberg (49), St. Claas (182), Dahlhausen (6), Dünschede (650), Ebbe, Forsthaus (2), Ebbelinghagen (36), Eichen (30), Ennest (2,039), Erlen (36), Ewig (24), Fernholte (4), Hebberg (39), Helden (1,144), Hofkühl (14), Hohen Hagen (8), Holzweg (406), Jäckelchen (15), Keseberg (29), Keuperkusen (11), Kraghammer (66), Lichringhausen (516), Listerscheid (161), Mecklinghausen (196), Merklinghausen (17), Milstenau (80), Neuenhof (429), Neu-Listernohl (1,195), Niederhelden (324), Nuttmecke (23), Papiermühle (111), Petersburg (535), Rauterkusen (38), Rautersbeul (3), Repe (158), Rieflinghausen (75), Röllecken (478), Roscheid (21), Schnellenberg (8), Silbecke (93), Uelhof (17), Voßsiepen (3), Wamge (204), Weltringhausen (29), Weschede (60), Weuste (18), Windhausen (668) and Wörmge (24).

The town's arms show the black cross of the Electorate of Cologne on a white/silver background with a waxing crescent moon in the upper left (or right – dexter – in heraldry).

The half moon was used as a symbol for John the Baptist, who was also to be found as the parish's holy protector in early secret seals.

This entails gathering brushwood to make faggots, called Bürden – “burdens” – which are later used to burn the crosses.

Participants stand around the Easter cross and, holding the torches upright, swing them back and forth, either beside or before the body.

At 20:30, the four columns of the Easter procession, waiting at the town's former gates, begin to move towards the church, signalled by the four burning crosses.

Between 1962 and 1964, on the basis of some findings and an illustration kept at the parish church, the town hall's exterior was remodelled so that it once again took on its original appearance.