HERTEN

city, North Rhine-Westphalia Land (state), western Germany. It is situated in the heavily industrial Ruhr district, immediately southwest of Recklinghausen. First mentioned in the 9th century as a dependency of the abbots of Werden, the city belonged to numerous minor lords after 1350. Its fortifications were begun in 1528 and were extended in the 17th century. The opening of coal mines in the area in 1872 stimulated the development and expansion of the town, which was chartered in 1936. The castle dates from the 16th century, on earlier foundations, and the Gothic Antonius Church (1433) was rebuilt in 1884 after a fire. The major industries are coal mining and food processing. Pop. (1992 est.) 69,374.