Hilchenbach

Hilchenbach (German pronunciation: [ˈhɪlçn̩ˌbax] ^ⓘ) is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein Kreis (district) of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Hilchenbach is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of Siegen. The town borders in the south on Netphen, in the west on Kreuztal, in the north on Kirchhundem and in the east on Erndtebrück.

The town's largest flowing body of water is the Ferndorfbach, a tributary to the river Sieg. The municipal area's average elevation is 427 metres (1,401 ft) above sea level, with its highest elevation being at 678 metres (2,224 ft) at the Riemen, a peak in the Rothaargebirge.

The town is made up of the following centres: Allenbach, Dahlbruch, Grund, Hadem, Helberhausen, (Alt-)Hilchenbach (alt means "old"), Lützel, Müsen, Oberndorf, Oechelhausen, Ruckersfeld and Vormwald. The recent political unit of Hilchenbach was founded in 1969.

The town of Hilchenbach was first mentioned in documents in 1292, when it went by the name Heylichinbach in a donation document from Countess Agnes von Nassau and her eldest son Heinrich to the Keppel Monastery. There are however clues that a church was established in this area sometime between 950 and 1000 by the Corvey Monastery, implying that there was settlement there.

In a document from 20 July 1365, a "firm house" – "festes Haus" – (Wilhelmsburg) in Hilchenbach is mentioned, which from 1489 to 1622 was enfeoffed to the Wischen von Langenau noble family. A castle with a moat was mentioned in 1623. It supposedly replaced Count William of Nassau-Siegen's Ginsburg residence.

In 1687, the village of Hilchenbach was raised to Flecken – market town.

In 1689 and 1844 nearly the whole town of (Alt-)Hilchenbach was destroyed by fire.