Essen, Metropolitan area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Essen is a large city in the Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, spreading across a hilly landscape with forested areas to the south and denser neighborhoods to the north. Streets run through former industrial sites, residential districts with brick buildings, and modern business centers concentrated around the central station and Kettwiger Straße.
From a settlement near an abbey in the year 845, the town grew into a center of mining and steel production after coal deposits were discovered in the 19th century. With the decline of heavy industry in the 1980s, the city shifted toward administration and services.
In the pubs of the old town and the cafés around Rüttenscheider Stern, locals gather after work, often with currywurst and regional beers. Market halls like the one in Rüttenscheid showcase local produce and become social meeting points on weekends.
The public transport network with tram, commuter trains, and buses connects all districts and allows orientation along central lines and main junctions. Signage and digital displays at stops help visitors navigate, especially those without prior knowledge.
The Grugapark covers over 60 hectares with themed gardens, playgrounds, and artworks recalling postwar regional exhibitions. Nearby stands the site of the former Zollverein colliery, where visitors encounter headframes, engine halls, and coal bunkers that now house museums and cultural spaces.
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