HAMELN, a town in the Prussian province of Hanover, at the confluence of the Weser and Hamel, 33 m. S.W. of Hanover, on the line to Altenbeken. Pop. (1933) 27,828. The older name of Hameln was Hameloa or Hamelowe, and the town owes its origin to an abbey. It existed as a town in the 11th century. Hameln, fell into French hands and in 18o6 it was incorporated in the kingdom of Westphalia. In 1814 it again became Hano verian, but in 1866 fell with that kingdom to Prussia. The chief public buildings are the minster, dedicated to St. Boniface and restored in 1870-5 ; the town hall; the so-called Rattenf angerhaus (rat-catcher's house) with mural frescoes illustrating the legend (see below) ; and the Hochzeitshaus (wedding house) with beau tiful gables. The principal industries are the manufacture of paper, leather, chemicals and tobacco, sugar refining, and ship building. There is communication with Karlshaf en and Minden by steamboats on the Weser. In order to avoid the dangerous part of the river near the town a channel was cut in 1734, and deep ened in Hameln is famed for its legend. In 1284 it was infested by a plague of rats, when there appeared a piper who offered for money to charm the vermin into the Weser. His conditions were agreed to, but after he had fulfilled his promise the inhabitants, saying he was a sorcerer, broke their bargain, whereupon he reappeared and played a tune which drew all the children. He led them out to the Koppelberg hill, in which a door opened. He entered and the children after him, all but one who was lame. Some trace the origin of the legend to the Children's Crusade of I211, others to an abduction of children, though not on quite so large a scale.