Geography of Solingen
Solingen, Germany, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia state. It lies about 15 miles (24 km) north-northeast of Cologne, on the Wupper River in the Ruhr industrial area. Solingen has been famous for its fine metalwork since late in the 12th century, when the art of sword-making was brought here from Lombardy, in present-day Italy. The modern city produces primarily stainless steel cutlery, hand and machine tools, and surgical instruments. Nearby is the Klingen Museum with exhibits that trace the history of cutlery.
Population: 166,600.