North Rhine-Westphalia, Federal state in western Germany.
North Rhine-Westphalia maintains five administrative districts: Arnsberg, Detmold, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Münster, with Düsseldorf serving as the capital city.
The state emerged on August 23, 1946, through the merger of the northern portion of Rhine Province and Westphalia under British occupation administration.
The region contains multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Aachen Cathedral, Cologne Cathedral, and the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen.
The state operates Germany's densest transport network, with 2,200 kilometers of motorways and an extensive rail system connecting 29 universities and research centers.
North Rhine-Westphalia generates 20 percent of German exports and houses 37 of Germany's top 100 corporations within its industrial Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.
Location: Germany
Inception: August 23, 1946
Capital city: Düsseldorf
Elevation above the sea: 45 m
Shares border with: Lower Saxony, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Wallonia, Limburg, Gelderland, Overijssel, Province of Liege
Website: https://land.nrw
GPS coordinates: 51.46667,7.55000
Latest update: May 29, 2025 00:22
North Rhine-Westphalia contains many sites that demonstrate the historical and cultural richness of this German region. Millennia-old geological formations, Roman relics, medieval fortresses, and industrial era monuments reveal different aspects of the regional heritage. These destinations include the Zollverein coal mine industrial complex in Essen, a UNESCO World Heritage site that chronicles the history of the Ruhr area, and the archaeological park in Xanten featuring reconstructions of the Roman city Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The Augustusburg and Falkenlust castles in Brühl showcase 18th-century Rococo architecture, while the rock formations of Externsteine near Horn-Bad Meinberg highlight the geological and spiritual development of the region. Each site offers a unique insight into the history of North Rhine-Westphalia and warrants careful exploration.
Nürburgring
132.8 km
Cologne Cathedral
71.6 km
Spa-Francochamps Circuit
159.3 km
Jahnkampfbahn Wald
47.5 km
Hermannsdenkmal
101.8 km
Phantasialand
87.8 km
Edersee
105.9 km
Externsteine
104.5 km
Wuppertal Schwebebahn
33.9 km
Aachen Cathedral
128.2 km
Schloss Drachenburg
92 km
Drachenfels
92.3 km
Emperor William Monument
127.3 km
Merkur Spiel-Arena
61.2 km
Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex
34.8 km
Taron
87.7 km
Hercules monument, Kassel
129.1 km
Schloss Nordkirchen
29.6 km
Movie Park Germany
43.5 km
Weserbrücke Eisbergen
129.8 km
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
129.6 km
Villa Hügel
38.1 km
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
122.7 km
Möhne Reservoir
35.9 km
Petersglocke
71.6 km
University of Cologne
74 km
Princely Abbey of Corvey
133.1 km
Melaten-Friedhof
73.4 kmReviews
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