DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Nordrhein-Westfalen	North Rhine-Westphalia
Regierungsbezirk: Arnsberg
Kreis: Siegen-Wittgenstein

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Kreuztal is situated at an elevation of 287 m in the western foothills of the Rothaargebirge (Rothaar Mountains) in the north of the Siegerland region, about 7 km north of the district town Siegen and about 92 km southeast of Düsseldorf, the capital of Northrhine-Westfalia. The municipality has a population of about 31,000 (2020).

The municipality of Kreuztal was created on 1 January 1969, against protests of many citizens, when the formerly independent municipalities of Burgholdinghausen, Buschhütten, Eichen (with Stendenbach and Bockenbach), Fellinghausen, Ferndorf, Kredenbach (albeit without Neulohe), Kreuztal (with Ernsdorf), Krombach, Littfeld, Osthelden (with Junkernhees), Oberhees, Mittelhees and a small part of Dahlbruch were merged into a single municipality. Buchen was later re-assigned to the city of Siegen, and parts of Kredenbach to the municipality of Hilchenbach. The earliest mention of Creuzthal dates from 1826 and was found in the baptismal register of Ferndorf.

Ferndorf

The earliest known written document that mentions Berentraph dates from 1067. Thus, Ferndorf is one of the oldest communities of the Siegerland region. Until the end of 1968, Ferndorf was the seat of the 'Amt' Ferndorf, which collectively administered the communities of Bockenbach, Buchen (until 1966), Burgholdinghausen, Buschhütten, Eichen, Ernsdorf (until 1928), Fellinghausen, Kreuztal, Krombach, Littfeld, Osthelden and Stendenbach. On 1 January 1969 Ferndorf became part of the newly created municipality Kreuztal.

The Laurentiuskirche (church of St. Lawrence) [left] was first mentioned in 1339. However, the origins of the building date back to the end of the 12th century. The core of the Romanesque tower is older than the Late Romanesque nave of the hall church. Several modifications, such as the enlargement of the windows, took place in 1778. When in 1887 the church became too small for the increasing population, the old choir was torn down and was replaced by a new transept and choir. Further modifications of the interior were made in 1929.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreuztal; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferndorf_(Kreuztal); https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurentiuskirche_(Ferndorf)]