Essen, Germany: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Essen [ˈɛsn̩] is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the Ruhr river, there being the second largest city of the Ruhr area and the 5th largest city of Germany. Population: 585,000 (2002).

Despite its size, the city is not as well-known as other cities of comparable size. Essen was an insignificant agricultural town until the 19th century, although founded as early as about 845. The mining of coal and ore led to the growth of the city and the entire Ruhr area. Essen is the home of the Krupp family; the family established steel production in Essen in 1811. After having undergone major economic changes after the Second World War, Essen is now home to a high-class college of art, many industrial sights (Zeche Zollverein) and a major collection of art (Folkwang Museum).

On 5th August 2004 in Essen a chloride gas accident happened there in a public swimming pool. There were 60 injured, most of them children.

Essen's Twin Cities include:

• City of Sunderland

Most Famous Sights in Essen

• Villa Hügel: The palace-like building and the surrounding park is of stunning size. It was built at the end of the 19th century by Friedrich Krupp as a house for his family. Today it is home to many world-class exhibitions.
• Zeche und Kokerei Zollverein: Coal mine (built in 1932, closed in 1986) and coking plant (built in 1961, closed in 1993). The precincts are now open to visitors and frequently house temporary art exhibitions. The Zollverein is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage due to its unique Bauhaus architecture.
• RWE Tower: Essen is home to the headquarters of RWE AG. The RWE Tower is a remarkable landmark, because it is the largest building in the Ruhr Valley and because of its location in downtown Essen near the central station. The Tower is open to visitors on certain days. Homepage of RWE: http://www.rwe.com

• Museum Folkwang (see external link below).
• Cathedral (Münster): 14th century, enlarged and rebuilt in 1958; not spectacular in appearance, but the interior is famous (many artworks from around 1000 AD, crown of emperor Otto III), as well as the eldest known sculpture of the Virgin Mary in the world (Goldene Madonna).
• Old Synagogue (Alte Synagoge): Largest synagogue north of the Alps; built in 1913, it was burnt out in the Nazi pogroms of 1938, but the framework survived the fascistic terror; restored after the war.
• Lichtburg: With 1250 seats, this cinema hall is the largest in Germany, built 1928.
• Werden: Once a city of its own, it became a borough of Essen in 1929; there is still a medieval townscape with many pubs and restaurants along the car-free streets. It is located near the Baldeney See and is home to the Folkwang College of Art.
• Kettwig: Also once a city of its own, and also located in the south of the city near the Ruhr river.
• Baldeney See: The big lake in the south of the city, one nice place in the city to spend some time outside.

The "Meteorit", a subterranean adventure park donated by RWE AG and designed by the Austrian artist Andre Heller, mainly featuring light effects, was closed in 2003.

• Essen used to be the largest city in Central Europe without a professional football club.
• Essen has the tallest town hall in all of Europe (109 m).