Editing Mönchengladbach (section)

===Early history===
The first settlements in the area of Mönchengladbach are approximately 300,000–400,000 years old and show remains of [[Homo erectus]] and [[Neanderthal]]. There are numerous [[cairn]]s from the [[Neolithic]] and [[Bronze Age]]s.

The history of Mönchengladbach began with the construction of the Gladbach Minster and the founding of an abbey in the year 974 by [[Gero, Archbishop of Cologne]], and his companion, the monk Sandrad of [[Archbishopric of Trier|Trier]].

To improve the settlement, the monks created a market north of the church in the 12th century. Craftsmen settled near the market. Gladbach received its [[German town law|town charter]] in 1364–1366. The "town" erected a town wall made of stone, which had to be maintained by the citizens. Remains of the wall can be found at the Geroweiher, as can remains of the "Thick Tower", an old fortified tower at the Waldhausener hill. Until the end of the 18th century, the city belonged to the department of [[Grevenbroich]] within the [[duchy of Jülich]].

On 4 October 1794, the armed forces of the [[French Revolution]] marched into the town, one day before the fortress Jülich had been handed over. When the Holy Roman Emperor [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Francis II]] ceded the left bank of the river [[Rhine]] to France with the [[Treaty of Lunéville]] in 1801, Gladbach fell under French laws suppressing religion. This was the end for the abbey, and the monastery was closed. On 31 October 1802, the last 31 monks left the monastery. The contents of the tremendous abbey library, well known outside Germany, were scattered or destroyed.

From 1798 until 1814, the ''[[Mairie]]'' Gladbach was part of ''[[Canton (country subdivision)|Canton]]'' Odenkirchen, of the ''[[Arrondissement]]'' Krefeld, of the [[Roer (department)|Roer]] ''[[Département]]''.