Bielefeld (German pronunciation: [ˈbiːləfɛlt] ⓘ) is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

The city is situated on the Hermannsweg, a hiking trail which runs for 156 km along the length of the Teutoburg Forest.

[4] Bielefeld is home to a significant number of internationally operating companies, including Dr. Oetker, DMG Mori (former Gildemeister), Möller Group, Goldbeck and Schüco.

Holy Roman Empire 1214– Hanseatic League 14th century– Berg (state) 1346– Margraviate of Brandenburg 1614– Minden-Ravensberg 1719–1807 Kingdom of Westphalia Kingdom of Prussia (Province of Westphalia) 1815– Founded in 1214 by Count Hermann IV of Ravensberg to guard a pass crossing the Teutoburg Forest, Bielefeld was the "city of linen" as a minor member of the Hanseatic League, known for bleachfields into the 19th century.

[citation needed] Between 1904 and 1930, Bielefeld grew, opening a rebuilt railway station, a municipal theatre, and finally, the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle concert hall, renowned for its excellent acoustics.

[13] On 17 January 1945, B-17s bombed the nearby Paderborn marshalling yard, and the railway viaduct in the suburb of Schildesche.

[citation needed] Due to the presence of a number of barracks built during the 1930s and its location next to the main East-West Autobahn in northern Germany, after World War II Bielefeld became a headquarters town for the fighting command of the British Army of the Rhine – BAOR (the administrative and strategic headquarters were at Rheindahlen near the Dutch border).

Other institutions of higher education include the Theological Seminary Bethel (Kirchliche Hochschule Bethel) and the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (German: Hochschule Bielefeld), which offers 21 courses in 8 different departments (agriculture and engineering are in Minden) and has been internationally recognized for its photography school.

[17] and Berufskolleg Bethel[18] These schools focus on hands-on training in various fields, including business, healthcare, and technical disciplines.

The current mayor (Oberbürgermeister) of Bielefeld is Pit Clausen of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who was elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2014 and 2020.

The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows: Two major autobahns, the A 2 and A 33, intersect in the south east of Bielefeld.

[25] The Bielefeld Stadtbahn has four major lines and regional trains connect different parts of the city with nearby counties.

The Linen Weavers' Monument, with the German name Leineweber-Denkmal, created by the Tyrolean sculptor Perathoner, has been one of Bielefeld's most recognisable symbols for over 100 years.

Its façade reflects the so-called Weserrenaissance and features elements of various architectural styles, including Gothic and Renaissance.

The altarpiece of the Bielefeld church Neustädter Marienkirche from around 1400 is among the most prominent masterpieces of artwork of the German Middle Ages.

Bielefeld is also the seat of the two largest Protestant social welfare establishments (Diakonie) in Europe, the Bethel Institution and the Evangelisches Johanneswerk.

It became famous for its recordings and concerts of traditional German Christmas carols, filling the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle several times each season.