The setting

Siegen is a city of middle size (just over 100.000 inhabitants) approximately 100 kilometres to the east of Cologne.

It lies in the region of the Deutsches Mittelgebirge ("German middle mountains"), more specifically the Rothaargebirge ("Red hair mountains"), and the county it is the major city of has the appropriate name Siegerland.

The Rothaargebirge features heavily forested mountain ranges (well, more like hills, with the highest one named "Kahler Asten" of a height of 841 metres), small villages nestled into narrow valleys, and quite some beautiful nature preservation areas.

Peculiarities of the Siegerland

...Environmental

Very peculiar of the Siegerland is the phenomenon of the Hauberg. This means that the populace near a forrested area divides it into parcels of land, which is then tended by the owners, who are responsible for planting, grooming, and cutting the trees. This is an ancient tradition, but there are still Hauberg communities at work.

Up to the middle of the last century, the Siegerland was also well-known for its iron mines, some of which produced iron ore of very high purity, and thus of high quality. Today the mines are no longer worked, but some have been converted into museums. Naturally, the iron-processing industry also thrived in the county, but its heydays are also long gone by.

The climate in the Siegerland is considerably colder and more humid than, e.g., the climate of the Rhine plain nearby. The build of the houses reflects this, and half-timbered or stone buildings with slate-covered walls and shingle roofs prevail.

...Cultural

If you haven't guessed till now, the natives of Siegerland are more of the broody, religious, hard-working type. The secludedness of the dwellings, the hard work either growing crops or working in one of the local iron mines (or often, both!), and the notorically bad weather are likely to have formed this kind of people.

And, of course, there has developed a local dialect called Sejerlänner Platt ("dialect of the Siegerland"). Its most prominent attribute is the heavy pronounciation of the consonant "r", which is quite similar to that observed in e.g. Southern USA, or Scotland.

...Culinary

Potatoes (called Duffeln in the local dialect) play a big role in the eating traditions of the Siegerland. This is reflected by the local dish named Rievekooche ("Reibekuchen") consisting of potato slices formed like a pancake and fried in oil, and often served with apple-sauce. (Note that this dish is also known in the rest of Germany. I have no idea why the Siegerländer talk of it like they invented the thing...Which, come to think of it, they may well have done...)

Also noteworthy is the so-called Siegerländer Krüstchen, which is a cutlet on a piece of bread with a fried egg on top.

And, by the way, one interesting (and slightly stunning) culinary fact is that Siegen was the first German town to feature an O'Brians sandwich bar franchise.

The city of Siegen

The city itself is definitely not among the most beautiful cities of Germany. The site of the so-called Oberstadt ("upper town") is quite noteworthy, though, since the older parts of the city are situated up a steep hill, with the Oberes Schloss ("upper castle") on top. Before the second world war, this older town consisted mainly of half-timbered houses, but a fire, and then the bombing of Siegen during the war, destroyed most of them.

One thing of interest is that the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens
was born in Siegen on June 28, 1577, but only because his parents were on their way through.¹ Some of his paintings, including the famous self-portrait, are on public display in the museum of the Oberes Schloss.

Siegen is the shopping, medical, and cultural centre for not only the people of the Siegerland, but also for some regions of the circumjacent counties. It has a university (also of middle size), but a less distinctive night-life compared to other university towns of Germany (hence probably a common saying always bestowed on new students: "Was ist schlimmer als verlieren? -- Siegen!"²)

Sights worth seeing

What places should you visit in Siegen? First of all, visit the Oberstadt ("upper town"), where you can find the Nikolaikirche ("Nikolai church") and the Oberes Schloss ("upper castle").

The castle features a museum where some of the history of the Siegerland is portrayed, from noblemen's to common citizens' life, a so-called Schaubergwerk ("mine for show") giving an overview about local mining activities, and an exhibition of some Rubens paintings, since Rubens was born in Siegen (see section above).

And don't miss the magnificient view of the Siegen valley looking out from an old battlement in the castle's gardens. From there you can see parts of the lower city itself, and of the long valley it lies in. Looking closely, you will see remnants everywhere of the time when the iron-processing industry thrived here.

Now, going downhill via one of the main shopping streets, you will pass the Unteres Schloss ("lower castle"), where the Fürstengruft ("souvereigns' crypt") holds the bones of some of the local noblemen.

While Siegen's lower city is not that interesting except for shopping reasons, many of the surrounding smaller towns and villages have a lot to offer. Don't miss the beautiful towns of Hilchenbach and Freudenberg, where lots of old half-timbered houses are still standing (mostly renovated even) and provide a truly quaint and rustic atmosphere. Also the visit of a former-iron-mine-now-museum can be recommended.

And of course the countryside itself is quite worth the visit, not only because the Siegerland is one of the most heavily forrested areas in Germany: The climate, while somewhat cold and wet, is considered to be healthy (a term often used is Reizklima, "stimulating climate"), and there exist lot of beautiful walks through the countryside, up and down the numerous hills, mostly through (almost) unblemished nature.