Recklinghausen is a town with 120,000 inhabitants and located between the northern Ruhr Area and the Münsterland.

The town is the centre of the district of Recklinghausen, Germany’s most densely populated district.
Within the principal administrative area of Muenster, Recklinghausen district has the most forest-covered land and the town itself is also very green. In addition there is Hoheward Park, a 7.5 square kilometre recreational country park on the town outskirts.

The Ruhr Festival which takes place annually in Recklinghausen is one of Europe’s biggest theatre festivals and a cultural event of international significance. 80,000 people visited the festival in 2009.

The town’s quaint old quarter charms visitors with its numerous shops and cafés. Leisure activities on offer include several museums, a zoo and the extensive New Westphalia Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since the mining industry’s steady decline in the northern Ruhr Area, chemical, energy, environmental protection and service industries and mid-tier companies have become the district of Recklinghausen’s economic bedrock.