Mettmann, Rural district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Mettmann is a rural district in North Rhine-Westphalia that stretches between the Rhine river and the hilly Bergisches Land, covering ten cities such as Ratingen, Velbert and Hilden. The district borders the state capital Düsseldorf and combines densely settled residential areas with forested hills and open valleys to the east.
The district was created in 1816 as a Prussian administrative unit and underwent several boundary reforms, including the addition of parts from Elberfeld district in 1929. After the Second World War, the population grew rapidly as people moved in from surrounding industrial areas.
The Neanderthal valley preserves the site where miners uncovered fossil bones in a limestone quarry, changing how scientists understood human ancestry. Visitors today walk through reconstructed landscapes and learn how this accidental discovery reshaped the study of early humans.
The district is well connected by motorways, commuter trains and regional rail lines, with many routes passing through Düsseldorf. Hiking paths and cycling routes link the individual towns and lead through the wooded areas of the Bergisches Land to the east.
With over 1200 residents per square kilometer (3110 per square mile), this district ranks as the most densely populated rural district in all of Germany. Despite the high population density, the region offers wide green spaces and extensive woodlands that allow for recreation and outdoor activities.
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