Industrial heritage in the Ruhr region, open countryside in Westphalia and a special outlook on life in Cologne: North Rhine-Westphalia is a state of contrasts.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Düsseldorf's Communication Tower
For centuries, Düsseldorf and its neighbor Cologne have been engaged in a friendly rivalry. Whether in the realm of business, art or even tradition, the western cities are keen to outdo each other. When it comes to modern architecture though, Düsseldorf has the edge. The Rheinturm communications tower, the so-called "Gehry Bauten" architecture and the harbor show off the city's contemporary class.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne Cathedral
As the city's most famous landmark, Cologne's Cathedral, is known the world over. Towering almost 160 meters high, it dominates the city's skyline. While the foundations were laid in 1248, the cathedral was not completed until the nineteenth century. Inside, the Shrine of the Three Kings, a masterpiece crafted in gold and thought to contain the bones of the three Wise Men, is well worth a visit.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Carnival in the Rhine Region
One of the most solid traditions in North Rhine-Westphalia is the annual celebration of Carnival. In the period leading up to the Christian observance of Lent, millions of revelers take to the streets dressed in their most bizarre and colorful costumes. The highlight is "Rosenmontag," the Monday before Ash Wednesday. In Cologne, some 12,000 people take part in the city's carnival parade.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Former Government Quarters in Bonn
Another particularly notable city in the western German state is Bonn. It saw its heyday as the capital of West Germany from the post-war period right up to re-unification. Some of the old government buildings are now open to the public to visit today, while others have retained their function as ministerial centers. DW's headquarters are located in the "Schürmann-Bau" (center of the photograph).
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Hiking in the Eifel Mountains
North Rhine-Westphalia doesn't just attract city slickers; it's a haven for nature-lovers too. With its varied landscapes, the Eifel mountain range is a big hit among cycling and hiking enthusiasts. The National Park prides itself on protecting the three 'Ws:' Water, Wildlife and Woodland. More than 7800 animal and plant species have been identified, of which a quarter are listed as endangered.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Aachen Cathedral
In 1978, Aachen's Cathedral became the first German building to be listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Commissioned by Charles the Great, or Charlemagne as he's better known, the cathedral's foundations were laid in the year 796. The Aachen Cathedral Treasury houses the famous fourteenth-century Charlemagne Bust. The leader himself is buried in the church.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Biking in Münster
When it comes to biking, Münster reigns supreme. The city of 300,000 inhabitants is apparently home to half a million bicycles. The city is synonymous with cycling, as this photograph of the Prinzipalmarkt square illustrates. The "Promenade" ring road, which circles the city, is restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. With more than 55,000 students, Münster is also a well-known university town.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Corvey Abbey
Corvey Abbey, now a UNESCO heritage site, was home to Benedictine monks until 1792. Situated in the city of Höxter, it's one of the most important examples of Carolingian architecture. The abbey's "Princely Library," where the poet Hoffmann von Fallersleben once worked as a librarian, boasts a collection of 75,000 books.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Swimming at Zollverein Industrial Site
The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex is a visitors' magnet. The site once housed one of Europe's largest coal mines and coking plants. Today, like Aachen Cathedral and Corvey Abbey, it's a UNESCO world heritage site. The old industrial buildings are now centers of art and culture. The swimming pool on the site attracts huge crowds in the summer.
10 reasons to love North Rhine-Westphalia
Football Derby in the Ruhr region
The Ruhr area is famous for football too; there are supposedly more regular players here than anywhere else in Germany. The biggest teams, Schalke and Dortmund, are known all over the world. A meeting of the two teams is an unmissable event in the German football calendar.
Author: Elisabeth Yorck von Wartenburg
North Rhine-Westphalia, in the far west of Germany, is the state with the highest population and the greatest contribution (21 percent) to the domestic economy, even though the coal and steel industries are now history. An especially impressive testament from the heyday of industry in this region is the Zollverein Industrial Mine Complex in Essen, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Travel tips for North Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne
Most residents here don't live in the state capital Düsseldorf, but in Cologne, the metropolis on the Rhine. The Rhinelanders are considered cheerful, cosmopolitan and tolerant. A love letter from Check-in host Nicole Frölich to the Cologne mindset.
The city of Essen no longer presents itself in coal gray, but in green. Although it's in the center of Germany's largest metropolitan area, the city has even earned itself the title of "European Green Capital" in 2017.
You'll find a contrast to the Rhineland, with its seven large cities, in Westphalia – to be more precise, in Münsterland, the rural region around Münster, where cyclists and riders on horseback set the pace.
In Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, Poppelsdorf Palace has housed the university's natural sciences collections since 1818. The Baroque palace, which dates from the 18th century, is a legacy of the Archbishop Elector's love of splendor. Its park is now a botanical garden, which makes it the greenest place on the campus.
Not far from Bonn, Phantasialand theme park in Brühl is one of Germany's most popular adventure parks, with roller coasters, shows, hotels and the steepest log flume in Germany.
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Your trip to Germany
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