Bonn is a federal city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located on the banks of the Rhine. It has a population of over 300,000. About 24 km (15 mi) south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany's largest metropolitan area and the second biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union, with over 11 million inhabitants. It is a university city, was the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven and was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990. Bonn was the seat of government of reunited Germany from 1990 to 1999.
Image: General view over bonn (cropped)
Image: Altes Rathaus Bonn
Image: Beethoven Haus
Image: Bonner Münster 2010 07 07
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a state (Land) in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states, it is also the most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of 34,084 square kilometres (13,160 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest German state by size.
Ratification of the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 in Münster by Gerard Terborch
The highest peaks in North Rhine-Westphalia are located in the Rothaar Mountains.
State border with North Rhine-Westphalia near Warburg; in the background the Desenberg, with 345 m landmark and highest point in the Warburger Börde near the border triangle NRW - Hesse - Lower Saxony
Cologne