Why Melle
Melle is a sprawling city located within the Osnabrück district of Lower Saxony, Germany. Geographically, it ranks as the third largest municipality in the state by land surface area. The town rests in a valley bordered by the Wiehen Hills to the north and the Teutoburg Forest to the south. Positioned between larger regional centers, Melle lies approximately 30 kilometers from both Osnabrück and Bielefeld, with Münster Osnabrück Airport situated roughly 60 kilometers to the southwest.
The history of Melle dates back to its first recorded mention in 1169. In 1443, the Bishop of Osnabrück awarded the settlement special market privileges as a Wigbold, and Osnabrück subsequently represented Melle’s commercial interests within the Westphalian Hanseatic League. The town belonged to the Kingdom of Hanover until it was incorporated into Prussia in 1866. A major territorial reorganization in 1972 consolidated 56 former local municipalities into the modern city structure. Today, Melle is composed of eight distinct districts: Melle-Mitte, Buer, Bruchmühlen, Gesmold, Neuenkirchen, Oldendorf, Riemsloh, and Wellingholzhausen.
Among the notable sights in the countryside around Melle are two astronomical observatories that offer guided tours to visitors. Astronomical enthusiasts can visit the EXPO 2000 observatory in Melle-Oberholsten, which houses the largest Newtonian telescope dedicated to public observation.
In terms of local industry, Melle is well known for its wood processing sector and historic connections to furniture production. Other key commercial branches include metalworking, food processing, and plastics manufacturing, and the city is recognized as the founding location of the aquatic company Tetra. Due to its direct access along the A 30 motorway, Melle has additionally expanded into a major hub for logistics.
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