Essen

Essen is a big city in Germany, located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the second-largest city in the Ruhr area, which is the largest urban area in Germany. With a population of over 570,000 people, Essen is also the fourth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the tenth-largest in all of Germany.

The city is very important for business and energy. Many large companies have their headquarters in Essen, including some of the biggest energy providers in Germany. Essen is also known for its beautiful lakes, like Lake Baldeney and Lake Kettwig, formed by damming rivers that flow through the city.

Essen has a rich history, dating back to around the year 845. It grew greatly during the industrial era, especially because of its steel and coal industries. Today, Essen is famous for its arts and education, with respected universities and design awards. In recent years, it has also been recognized as a European Capital of Culture and a European Green Capital, showing its commitment to culture and the environment.

Geography

Essen is found in the middle of the Ruhr area, a large space with many cities in Europe. The Ruhr has about 5.3 million people living in it. Essen’s city borders are 87 kilometres long and touch ten other cities. The city stretches 21 kilometres from north to south and 17 kilometres from west to east.

The River Ruhr runs through Essen and creates Lake Baldeney, a popular spot for fun activities. This lake was made between 1931 and 1933 by people who were looking for work. South of the river, there are green spaces that stand out from the busy city life. Essen is known for having lots of green areas and was chosen as a European Green Capital in 2017 for its work in protecting nature.

Essen has a mild climate with cool winters and warm summers. The average temperature is around 10 °C, with July and August being the warmest months. Rain falls about 934 millimetres each year on average. The coldest it usually gets is around 2 °C in January.

History

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Essen.

Origin of the name

The name Essen sometimes causes confusion because it sounds like the German word for "eating." However, the city's name has different possible origins. The oldest known form of the name is Astnide, which later changed through forms such as Astnidum, Assinde, Essendia, and Esnede. Some believe Astnide referred to a region with many ash trees, while others think it meant a place in the east of the Frankish Empire. In the local Limburgish language, Essen is called Äßße.

Early history

The oldest known object found in Essen is a blade called the Vogelheimer Klinge, dating back to between 280,000 and 250,000 years ago. This blade was discovered during the building of the Rhine–Herne Canal in 1926. Other older objects from the Stone Age have also been found, though not in large numbers. One important find is a Megalithic tomb called the Chest of Stone, found in 1937. It is considered Essen's earliest surviving building.

Essen was home to several Germanic groups, though it is hard to tell them apart clearly. The Alteburg castle dates to the eighth century, and the Herrenburg castle to the ninth century.

Eighth–twelfth centuries

Around 845, Saint Altfrid founded a school for women in what is now Essen. The first leader of this school was Gerswit, a relative of Altfrid. Another school was started nearby in 799 by Saint Liudger. The area was mostly empty, with only a few small farms and an old, probably abandoned castle. The school became important for women from noble families.

Construction began on a large church around 852 and finished in 870. A big fire in 946 damaged the church and the nearby buildings, but the church was rebuilt and expanded. This church is the basis for today's Essen Cathedral.

Essen was first mentioned in a document from 898. In 971, Mathilde II, a granddaughter of Emperor Otto I, took over the school. She led for over 40 years and gave the school many valuable items, including the oldest known sculpture of the Virgin Mary. After her, other women from royal families led the school. Under Teophanu, Essen was allowed to hold markets starting in 1041.

13th–17th centuries

In 1216, the school became a important place when Emperor Frederick II called its leader “Princess of the Empire." In 1244, Essen received its official city status when the Archbishop of Cologne built a wall around it. This independence lasted until 1290 when the leader was given full control again. The city was finally recognized as a free city in 1377, though there were still arguments between the city and the school leaders until 1803.

In 1563, the city leaders introduced Protestant ideas, even though the school followed Catholic traditions.

Thirty Years' War

During the Thirty Years' War, the Protestant city and Catholic school did not agree. In 1623, the leader of the school called in soldiers to fight against the city. The city was taken over by these soldiers, and life became hard with arrests and other troubles. After peace came in 1648, soldiers stayed until 1650.

Industrialisation

Essen has a long history with mining, starting in the 14th century. The first coal mines opened at the end of the 16th century, and the city became known for making weapons. The Krupp family started a major iron and steel factory in 1811, which helped the city grow. By 1896, Essen had 100,000 people. Other companies like Thyssen also helped shape the city.

World War I and occupation

In February 1917, problems with food caused riots. Later that year, workers at the Krupp factory went on strike.

In January 1923, French and Belgian soldiers entered the Ruhr area because they thought Germany was not following the rules of a peace treaty. In March 1923, soldiers took over a car hall at Krupp, leading to deaths and injuries. The soldiers left in summer 1925.

Nazism, World War II

During World War II, Essen was bombed many times because it was an important industrial city. Over 270 bombings destroyed much of the city center and many homes. The city was captured by US soldiers in April 1945.

Twenty-first century

Today, Essen is still home to big companies like ThyssenKrupp and RWE. Foundations like the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung help the city, for example by supporting hospitals and art museums like the Museum Folkwang.

Politics

Essen’s government has changed many times throughout history. In the past, leaders called princess-abbesses helped run the city. Later, a group of elected people called the city council became more important. In 1335, they began choosing two burgomasters, one to manage money. Over the years, Essen has seen many changes, including new rulers and big events like the Protestant Reformation in 1563 and later rule by Prussia.

After World War II, new leaders were chosen, and the city’s way of governing was changed to be more like British cities. Today, the mayor of Essen is Thomas Kufen from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He was first elected in 2015 and has been re-elected since then. The city council works together with the mayor to make decisions for Essen. The council’s current team includes members from two groups: the SPD and the CDU.

The city’s coat of arms, granted in 1886, is special. It shows two shields under one crown. One shield has an Imperial Eagle from the Holy Roman Empire, and the other shows a sword linked to the city’s patron saints, Cosmas and Damian.

Demographics

Essen has a population of 574,682 people, making it the second largest city in the Ruhr area after Dortmund and the tenth largest city in Germany. It is very close to other cities like Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, and Oberhausen. In 1960, Essen had even more people—over 720,000—because many jobs were available in factories and mines during a busy time for the country’s economy. However, since the 1970s, the number of people living in Essen has gone down as some of those jobs disappeared. Today, Essen is home to many people from other countries, especially Turkey, Syria, and Poland.

International relations

The City of Monessen, Pennsylvania, situated along the Monongahela River, was named after the river and Essen.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Essen is twinned with:

Cooperation agreements

Essen cooperates with:

• Kōriyama, Japan (2017)
• Qingdao, China (2008)
• Rivne, Ukraine (2022)
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2012)

Industry and infrastructure

Essen is a major city with many big companies. Some important ones are ThyssenKrupp, a big company that makes things like steel, and RWE AG, which provides electricity. There are also companies like Aldi Nord for groceries and Deichmann, a large shoe store. The city has many places where people can see shows and learn new things.

Essen has a big place for shows called Messe Essen where many people go to see cars, games, and other interesting things. The city also has schools for arts and design, like the Folkwang University, and a big hospital that helps many people stay healthy.

Transport

Essen has a large network of streets, with over 3,200 streets totaling about 1,600 kilometers in length. The city is connected by four major motorways, including the A 40, known as the Ruhr expressway. This motorway is very busy and often crowded during rush hours.

Public transport in Essen is managed by Ruhrbahn, which operates several tram and bus lines. The city also has an underground system called the Essen Stadtbahn, which connects different parts of the city. Many of these lines meet at Essen Hauptbahnhof, the main train station. Additionally, Essen has a small airport, Essen/Mülheim Airport, which mainly handles special flights and flight training. Most people in the area use larger airports like Düsseldorf Airport for travel.

Landmarks

Zollverein Industrial Complex

The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex is one of Essen's most famous landmarks. For many years, the coal mine and its coking plant were some of the largest in Europe. The winding tower of Shaft XII, built in Bauhaus style, has become a symbol of the Ruhr area. In 2001, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. Today, the complex includes several arts and design places, such as the Design Zentrum NRW and the Ruhrmuseum, which opened in 2010.

Essen Minster and treasury

Essen Minster started as a church between 845 and 870. The current building was built after an older church burned down in 1275. The treasury holds important artworks, including the Golden Madonna of Essen, the oldest known sculpture of the Madonna north of the Alps.

Old Synagogue

Main article: Old Synagogue, Essen

Opened in 1913, the Old Synagogue was a key place for Essen's Jewish community before World War II. After the war, the building was used for different purposes before becoming a cultural center.

Villa Hügel

Built in 1873 by industrialist Alfred Krupp, Villa Hügel was a grand home with many modern features for its time, like heating and telephone systems. After World War II, it became a foundation office and is now open for concerts and special exhibitions.

Kettwig and Werden

Kettwig and Werden are two parts of Essen that kept much of their old character. Werden has St. Ludger's church, made a basilica in 1993. Kettwig was shaped by the textile industry and is one of the largest and greenest parts of Essen.

Other important cultural sites

Some of Essen's important cultural spots include:

• Museum Folkwang: A major art museum with works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Aalto Theatre: Home to the Essen Opera and Ballet, opened in 1988.
• Saalbau Essen: Home of the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Colosseum Theater: Hosts many musical shows.
• Zeche Carl: A former coal mine turned cultural center.

Other sites

Other places to visit in Essen include:

• Gartenstadt Margarethenhöhe: A garden city founded in 1906.
• Moltkeviertel (Moltke Quarter): A planned neighborhood with green spaces and quality buildings.
• Grugapark: A large urban park with gardens and recreational areas.
• Baldeneysee: A popular lake for sailing, rowing, and hiking.

Notable people

Further information (in German): List of people from Essen

Natives

People born in Essen include many well-known figures from different fields.

Honorary citizens

Essen has given honorary citizenship to people who have made big contributions to the city. This started in 1879 but stopped after 1949, except for one special case in 2007. Some honorary citizens include:

• 1879 Otto von Bismarck – Chancellor of Germany
• 1888 Friedrich Hammacher – politician, lawyer and economist
• 1895 Johann Heinrich Peter Beising – Roman catholic theologian
• 1896 Friedrich Alfred Krupp – industrialist
• 1901 Heinrich Carl Sölling – tradesman and benefactor
• 1906 Erich Zweigert – Lord Mayor (1886–1906)
• 1912 Margarethe Krupp – benefactress
• 1917 Paul von Hindenburg – Generalfeldmarschall and army leader, later President of Germany
• 1949 Viktor Niemeyer – councilman
• 2007 Berthold Beitz – president of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation

Today, the city's highest award is the Ring of Honour. Notable recipients include Gustav Heinemann, a former Lord Mayor of Essen and later President of Germany, and Franz Cardinal Hengsbach, the first Bishop of Essen.

Sport

Essen has many popular sports teams. The main football (soccer) clubs are Rot-Weiss Essen and Schwarz-Weiß Essen. Rot-Weiss Essen plays in a stadium called Stadion Essen, while Schwarz-Weiß Essen plays at Uhlenkrugstadion. There are also other football teams like BV Altenessen and TuS Helene Altenessen. In women's football, SGS Essen plays in the top league.

Besides football, Essen has a famous handball team, TUSEM Essen, that has won many awards. The city's main basketball team is ETB Essen, which plays in a stadium called Sportpark am Hallo. Essen has also hosted big sports events, like the 1955 nine-pin bowling World Championships and part of the EuroBasket 1971. The city is also home to a volleyball team called VV Humann Essen.