Vechta
Vechta | |
|---|---|
Location of Vechta within Vechta district | |
| Coordinates: 52°43′50″N 08°17′19″E / 52.73056°N 8.28861°E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Lower Saxony |
| District | Vechta |
| Subdivisions | 15 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2019–24) | Kristian Kater (SPD) |
| Area | |
• Total | 87.88 km2 (33.93 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 37 m (121 ft) |
| Population (2023-12-31) | |
• Total | 33,572 |
| • Density | 380/km2 (990/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 49377 |
| Dialling codes | 04441 |
| Vehicle registration | VEC |
| Website | www.vechta.de |
Vechta (German pronunciation: [ˈfɛçta] ⓘ; Northern Low Saxon: Vechte) is the capital and largest city of the Vechta district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is home to the University of Vechta.
It is known for the 'Stoppelmarkt' fair, which takes place every summer and has a history dating back to 1298. With an attendance of 800,000 visitors it is one of the biggest annual fairs in north-western Germany.
In the recent past, the town was known as a centre of far-northern German Catholicism.