Iserlohn

The city of Iserlohn is located at edge of the wooded, hilly Sauerland area southeast of Dortmund in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Documented in the 11th century, it received its town charter in 1237. In medieval times it was famous as producer of light metalware and armor. The community suffered from a large-scale fire in 1712 and a rebellion in 1849. Of its historic structures, there remains the 11th-century St. Pankratius Church and the 1350 Oberste Stadtkitche. Today the city is an industrial center, producing machinery, chemicals, rubber, leather, and metal products. The 2004 population estimate was 98,800.