title: Kerpen
text: # 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)
  