The LHCb vertex locator

The main objective of the LHCb experiment – presently under construction at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – is the study of $b$-hadrons. They are identified by their long lifetime with the help of the silicon microstrip vertex locator (VELO) situated closest to the interaction region. It provides precise tracking information which is also employed by the trigger system. In the following the design and present status of the VELO are presented as well as some results of testbeam measurements performed at the end of 2006.