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North rhine w bm.png
Country  Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Adm. region Cologne
Capital Bergheim
 • Total 704.5 km2 (272.0 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2012)[1]
 • Total 454,792
 • Density 650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Vehicle registration BM
Website http://www.rhein-erft-kreis.de

The Rhein-Erft-Kreis is a district in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Neuss, district-free Cologne, Rhein-Sieg, Euskirchen, Düren.


"Aachener Tor" Landmark of Bergheim and Rhein-Erft-Kreis
Augustusburg Palace in Brühl, Rhein-Erft-Kreis.

The district in its current borders was created in 1975, when the previous districts Bergheim and Cologne were merged. Becoming effective on November 1, 2003 the district was renamed from Erftkreis to Rhein-Erft-Kreis.


The main river in the district is the Erft, which also gave it the name. The Erft flows through the foothills of the Eifel, on the left side of the Rhine river.


  1. Bedburg
  2. Bergheim
  3. Brühl
  4. Elsdorf
  5. Erftstadt
  1. Frechen
  2. Hürth
  3. Kerpen
  4. Pulheim
  5. Wesseling

Coat of arms[edit]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows the lion of Jülich in the left half, as most of the area belonged to the duchy of Jülich. The right side shows the Cologne cross, which stands for the former Cologne district. On top the Erft river is depicted; the Prussian Rhine Province had the same symbol in its coat of arms.


External links[edit]

Media related to Rhein-Erft-Kreis at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 50°55′N 6°40′E﻿ / ﻿50.92°N 6.67°E﻿ / 50.92; 6.67