North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany, often called the "green heart of Europe." This is a region where beautifully preserved natural landscapes are combined: traditional European forests, fields and meadows, reminiscent of the scenery for the fairy tales of the Grimm brothers, and large industrial enterprises. After all, it is precisely on the banks of the Rhine that deposits of coal and iron are located, the desire to own which was one of the reasons for the wars of the beginning of the 20th century. Today, historical Westphalia is known as the most densely populated federal state in Germany with a population density higher than in Japan. At the same time, most of the territory is occupied by unique nature reserves.
Location
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia (originally Nordrhein-Westfalen) is located in the west of Germany and is one of the largest administrative and territorial units in the country. To the north and partially to the east, this vast area borders on Lower Saxony, in the east - on Hesse. In the south, its "neighbor" is the Rhineland-Palatinate land, and in the west - neighboring states - Belgium and the Netherlands.
The total area of the territory is 34075 square meters. km The Ruhr, Rhine, Ems and Lippe, as well as the shortest river in all of Germany, Pader, flow through it.
Infrastructure
The transport situation in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) is extremely favorable for the tourism business. In particular, there are two airports of international importance, and four - domestic European. For lovers of traveling by water, there is the world's largest river port, which is located in Duisburg. In addition, the territory of the earth is surrounded by a dense network of roads and railways, connecting it with any corner of the Eurasian continent.
The recreational resources of Westphalia are very rich and diverse, more than 10 million tourists from all over the world come here all year round.
North Rhine-Westphalia: the administrative center
The official capital of this administrative unit of Germany is Dusseldorf. In addition, this city is the industrial center of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, because it is often bypassed by tourist routes, the purpose of which is to show classical Germany. However, in recent decades, things have begun to change, and Düsseldorf is gradually gaining importance as the cultural capital of the country. He has already hosted the international Eurovision Song Contest, and also regularly holds carnivals, festivals and exhibitions of contemporary art.
Düsseldorf welcomes tourists with the Royal Alley - a magnificent boulevard that crosses all roads in the direction from the railway station to the city center. An interesting legend is associated with the name of the boulevard : it seems to be derived from an extraordinary event that occurred here in 1848. Then on the alley, which was called Kashtanova, the Prussian king Frederick William IV suffered an unprecedented humiliation - the townspeople threw the monarch with manure. Today in the middle of the boulevard there is a canal, decorated on one side with the famous Triton Fountain.
The main attractions of Dusseldorf
The city occupies the right bank of the Rhine, and on the left are landscaped parks and fashionable sleeping areas.
Tourists who come to Dusseldorf are shown:
- Media Harbor
- Heinrich Heine's house;
- Jägerhof Palace - Goethe Museum;
- Market Square
- Castle Square, where you can see the sculpture "Tumbling Boys" - a symbol of the city;
- embankments decorated with art objects and small architectural forms.
Cities of North Rhine-Westphalia
This ancient Germanic land has been inhabited since time immemorial. Most of the cities within it were founded in the Middle Ages, and even in ancient times. In particular, it is known that the history of Cologne and Aachen began with the settlements of the Romans. By the XIX century, the North Rhine region was called the Ruhr and united the largest coal and metallurgical enterprises in Europe.
Cologne
The main thing that interests tourists visiting the land of North Rhine-Westphalia - the city. Of these, the largest and one of the oldest is Cologne, also recognized as the information capital of Europe. Here are the headquarters of many print media and television companies. The greatest value of Cologne is the cathedral, first built in the 13th century, which houses a relic associated with the gifts of the Magi brought to the baby Jesus. Despite all the destruction and restoration that the cathedral had to undergo, and possibly thanks to them, it is one of the best examples of Gothic temple architecture. The tops of its towers are visible from almost anywhere in Cologne, their maximum height reaches 157 m.
Of the modern attractions, the most interesting is the Chocolate Museum. In addition, the ancient city hospitably hosts a variety of international specialized exhibitions and festivals.
Bonn
During the post-war division of the country, the city was the capital of West Germany. It is famous for its university and attracts tourists as a monument of medieval architecture.
Munster
The oldest city in the Westphalian land, included in the chronicles of many fateful events in European history. In Munster it is worth a glimpse into the city cathedral of the 13th century - a real miracle of Romanesque architecture.
Aachen
The ancient city and the center around which the thermal and balneological resorts of the region combine. This is an amazing combination of natural resources and monuments of past eras.
Other resort centers in North Rhine-Westphalia: Bad Iburg, Bad Salzuflen , Bad Wildungen.
History, Economics
Within modern borders, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was approved in 1946 by the British authorities, under whose protectorate West Germany was in those years.
It is called the industrial heart of Germany, today this region has become a powerful center of technological production. Here are located the country's largest machine-building, steel and coal-mining enterprises. The dense transport and communication network has a favorable effect on the development of the region. Local authorities closely monitor compliance with environmental standards and take all measures to preserve the famous Rhine forests.
Interested in Germany? North Rhine-Westphalia is the best place where a tourist can admire the beauties of German nature, see interesting sights and get acquainted with local cuisine.