Winterberg (Westphalian: Winnenmerg) is a town in the Hochsauerland district of North Rhine-Westphalia, central Germany and a major winter sport resort of the Wintersport Arena[3] Sauerland.

After the local government reforms of 1975 Winterberg consists of 15 districts: Winterberg experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) like most of Germany, however also bordering on subarctic climate (Dfc), thanks to its altitude, with only having an average temperature above 10 °C and September only being barely above it.

The town was in the middle of two trade roads, Heidenstrasse between Cologne and Kassel and Heerstrasse between Frankfurt am Main and Soest.

The bad agricultural conditions led to the fact that trade played a central role as a life basis of the town.

The abandonment of the old settlements is likely related to the plague and also to the frequent feuds and lootings of the time, since bigger towns offered a better protection against enemy troops.

During the Thirty Years' War the neighbouring town Medebach and Hallenberg were 1634 destroyed by Hessian troops.

On November 19, 1993, at the site of the "Winterberger Halsgerichts" a monument was opened as a memorial to the victims of the 16th century witch hunts.

The second highest mountain of the Sauerland, the Kahler Asten in the Rothaargebirge, is located in the city area, which also contains the spring of the Lenne and Ruhr rivers.

The city is one of the winter sports centers of the Sauerland, best known probably for the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track.