Vechta (ˈfɛçta) is a district

Districts of Germany

The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....

 (Landkreis) in Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Oldenburg

Oldenburg (district)

Oldenburg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Diepholz, Vechta, Cloppenburg and Ammerland, the city of Oldenburg, the district of Wesermarsch and the city of Delmenhorst.-History:...

, Diepholz

Diepholz (district)

Diepholz is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Verden, Nienburg, Minden-Lübbecke , Osnabrück, Vechta and Oldenburg, and by the cities of Delmenhorst and Bremen. The biggest city is Stuhr.- History :From the 12th century to 1585 Diepholz was a county within the...

, Osnabrück

Osnabrück (district)

Osnabrück is a district in the southwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. With 2,121 km² it is the second largest district of Lower Saxony.- History :...

 and Cloppenburg

Cloppenburg (district)

Cloppenburg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Ammerland, Oldenburg, Vechta, Osnabrück, Emsland and Leer....

.

History

In the 13th century the region was acquired by the bishop of Münster and became a part of his clerical state. When the clerical states of Germany were dissolved in 1803, Vechta was given to Oldenburg

Oldenburg (state)

Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...

, while clerically still belonging to Münster, hence the name Oldenburger Münsterland

Oldenburger Münsterland

The Oldenburg Münsterland is the southern, predominantly Catholic portion of the former Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, now a part of Lower Saxony in Germany. Before 1803, it was part of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster . It comprises the modern day counties of Cloppenburg and Vechta, an area with over...

 is also used for the region (together with Cloppenburg district). The present district was established in 1945 and became a part of the newly founded state of Lower Saxony.

Geography

The countryside is generally flat. Only in the very south there is a hill chain close to the town of Damme

Damme, Germany

Damme is a town in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Vechta, and 36 km northeast of Osnabrück.-References:...

, called the Damme Hills

Damme Hills

The Damme Hills are a high, wooded ridge, up to , in the Oldenburg Münsterland in the southern part of the district of Vechta, in western Lower Saxony, Germany.- Location :...

 (Dammer Berge). The western shore of Lake Dümmer

Dümmer

The Dümmer See or Dümmer is a large lake in southern Lower Saxony . It has a surface of 13.5 km² and an average depth of one metre. Its elevation is 37 metres....

 with its adjoining fens is also part of the district.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays: the arms of Oldenburg Oldenburg (state) Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser... the arms of the County of Calvelage-Ravensberg (which ruled over the region before the 13th century) the arms of the counts of Galen (who were vassals of the bishops of Münster)

Cities and municipalities

Cities

Free municipalities Municipality A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

Damme Damme, Germany Damme is a town in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Vechta, and 36 km northeast of Osnabrück.-References:... Dinklage Dinklage Dinklage is a town in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 13 km southwest of Vechta, and 45 km north of Osnabrück.-History:... Lohne Lohne, Germany Lohne is a town in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 8 km south-west of Vechta. The town lies on the A1 freeway between Bremen and Osnabrück.-Economy:... Vechta Vechta Vechta with a population of nearly 32,000 is the biggest city and also the capital of the Vechta district in Lower Saxony, Germany.It's well known all around Europe for the 'Stoppelmarkt' fair, which occurs every summer and has a history dating back to 1298....

Bakum Bakum Bakum is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Vechta district in western Lower Saxony. Bakum lies on the A1 freeway between Bremen and Osnabrück.-External links:*... Goldenstedt Goldenstedt Goldenstedt is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Hunte, approx. 12 km northeast of Vechta.... Holdorf Holdorf Holdorf is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km southwest of Vechta, and 35 km north of Osnabrück.... Neuenkirchen-Vörden Neuenkirchen-Vörden Neuenkirchen-Vörden is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km southwest of Vechta, and 30 km north of Osnabrück.... Steinfeld Steinfeld, Lower Saxony Steinfeld is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 16 km southwest of Vechta, and 40 km northeast of Osnabrück.... Visbek Visbek Visbek is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 12 km north of Vechta....

External links

• Official website