Lüneburg

Lüneburg, formerly also called Lunenburg in English, is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about 45 km (28 mi) southeast of another Hanseatic city, Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs. The capital of the district of Lüneburg, it has a population of around 72 000. Lüneburg's urban area, which includes the surrounding communities like Adendorf, Bardowick, Bleckede, Amelinghausen and Reppenstedt, has a population of around 103 000. Lüneburg has been allowed to use the title "Hansestadt" (Hanseatic Town) in its name since 2007, in recognition of its membership in the former Hanseatic League; it is also a university town. Lueneburg is also called the "Salt Town", a hangover from the days when it was the centre of a major salt industry. As of December 2007, the town was the 120th largest in the Federal Republic of Germany.