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"Center of the Ruhr Area Industrial... " a Essen Travel Page by BillNJ

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"Center of the Ruhr Area Industrial... " a Essen Travel Page by BillNJ

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BillNJ    
"Cause This is My United States of Whatever." -- Liam Lynch


Real Name: Bill
Lives In: New Jersey, US
Member Since: Oct 17, 2006
VT Rank: 417

 

Page Views: 513            Last Visit to Essen: May, 2008      

Center of the Ruhr Area Industrial Complex

by BillNJ - last update: Jun 3, 2008

Business and Industrial Powerhouse

Historically, the city of Essen is best known as an important coal and steel center in the Ruhr area led by the Krupp family. Today, it is a city with approximately 580,000 residents which makes it the 7th- or 8th-largest city in Germany. Also, the economy is more diverse now than in earlier years when it was dominated by Krupp. Today, Essen is home to 13 of the 100 largest German corporations and seat to several of the region's authorities.

Great center city pedestrian zone

Essen has a large center city pedestrian zone with many shops, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, churches, theaters, town squares, and other attractions. On the day of my visit, VTer Daniela (mickybleck), a native of Essen, was kind enough to give me a tour of the downtown pedestrian zone. It is a pleasure to take a stroll in a city center without having to be concerned about automobile traffic. During our stroll, we made a brief stop in the Münster Essen (Essen Cathedral) which has a treasury consisting of many important church relics, including the Golden Madonna dating back to the year 980 A.D.

Named European Capital of Culture for 2010

The EU Commission has named Essen as a European Capital of Culture for 2010. Essen applied on behalf of the entire Ruhr region. Hopefully, this designation helps to draw more tourists to this wonderful city.

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Pros:"Center city pedestrian zone, innovative parks of old industrial sites"
Cons:"Limited organized tourism for non-German speakers"
In A Nutshell:"Industrial and business city with a lot to offer!"
BillNJ's Essen Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 7 - Photos: 12
 
Restaurants
Tips: 3 - Photos: 4
Hotels & Accommodations
 
NightlifeOff The Beaten Path
 
Tourist TrapsWarnings Or Dangers
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
Transportation
Tips: 2 - Photos: 1
Local Customs
 
Packing ListsShopping
 
Sports TravelGeneral Tips
Tips: 2 - Photos: 1

Comments for BillNJ about Essen
hundertmorgen Wed Sep 2, 2009 22:15 UTC
 ... great tips! But there is much more to see - also outside downtown. Especially next year for the "European Capital of Culture for 2010" there are many events... hope to see you here!
sourbugger Sat Aug 8, 2009 13:39 UTC
 very interesting and well written - i'll be back for more
MalenaN Sat May 2, 2009 20:30 UTC
 Too bad you couldn't visit the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, but it sounds like you had a nice day anyway!
richiecdisc Sat Apr 18, 2009 20:02 UTC
 A schnitzel sounds great about now. Good see you got to some off the beaten path Germany, Bill but DD?? I think you could find a faschnat or something. ;)
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