Kerpen
# Kerpen

Kerpen (German: (listen); Ripuarian: Kerpe) is the most populated town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). It is located about 20 kilometres southwest from Cologne. As of 2022, Kerpen has a total population of 69,530.

## Division of the town

The town of Kerpen was created in 1975, when the previously independent municipalities Balkhausen, Blatzheim, Brüggen, Buir, Horrem, Kerpen, Manheim, Mödrath, Sindorf and Türnich were merged.

## Monuments

* Burg Bergerhausen
* Burg Loersfeld
* Schloss Türnich

## Notable people

* Adolph Kolping (1813–1865), Catholic priest and social reformer
* Wolfgang von Trips (1928–1961), Formula One motor racing driver
* Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007), pioneer of electronic music composition
* Franz-Peter Hofmeister, Olympic medalist in the 4 × 400 m relay
* Michael Schumacher, 7 time Formula One world champion
* Ralf Schumacher, brother of Michael, both have emulated von Trips in achieving success in Formula One
* Patrice Bart-Williams is an acclaimed reggae artist

## Education

In 2008, Gymnasium der Stadt Kerpen was considered the largest school in Germany.

## Twin towns – sister cities

Kerpen is twinned with:

* St. Vith, Belgium (1975)
* Oświęcim, Poland (1997)
