Essen Maps

Essen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the heart of the Ruhr area with approximately 575,000 inhabitants. Once the center of German coal and steel production, it was home to the Krupp industrial dynasty, which dominated iron and steel manufacturing for generations. The city has successfully transformed from heavy industry to services, culture, and retail.

The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represents the pinnacle of coal mine architecture and engineering. Designed in Bauhaus style and operational from 1932 to 1986, it now functions as a cultural venue with museums, including the Ruhr Museum documenting regional history. The Red Dot Design Museum, also located at Zollverein, showcases contemporary product design.

The Essen Cathedral Treasury houses one of Europe's most valuable collections of medieval religious art, including the Golden Madonna, the oldest surviving sculpture of Mary. The Museum Folkwang possesses an outstanding collection of 19th and 20th-century art and photography. The Villa Hügel, the former Krupp family residence, offers insights into industrial history with its mansion and exhibitions.

The city's shopping street, Kettwiger Straße and the Limbecker Platz shopping center, reinforce Essen's position as a retail hub. Essen was designated European Capital of Culture in 2010 along with the Ruhr region. The University of Duisburg-Essen maintains its Essen campus here. The Grugapark provides extensive recreational green space. Essen's economy today focuses on retail, finance, energy services, and corporate headquarters, with several major corporations based here, including RWE and Aldi Nord.