Essen Off The Beaten Path

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Should have been a transportation tip but I want to keep the Kettwig tips together.

Plan enough time for Kettwig because it is quite a walk from the S-Bahn to the old town. There are buses but they do not run too frequently, so you will most likely walk. Kettwig has two S-Bahn stops. I recommend not getting off at "Kettwig" but staying on the train until "Kettwig Stausee", the stop beyond the Ruhr lake, which the train crosses on a bridge. Walk along Werdener Straße until the footpath to the lake shore turns to the right. Walk along the lake and then cross it on the big street bridge. From the bridge you have the best panoramic view of old Kettwig with its two churches on the ridge, the lake and the Ruhr river.

The lake is actually an artificial reservoir. The dam is hidden underneath the bridge, one does not even notice it at first sight. A small lock allows boats to pass.

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Think half-timbered houses with slate roofs, cobblestone alleys, a small town on a hillside crowned by an old church, overlooking a lake, pubs and cafes in old houses... The whole "fairytale picture" of old Germany. Would you expect THAT in the middle of the Ruhr district?

Well, it does exist. In this industrial zone, primary target to World War II bombs, a few old town centres have survived. One of them is Kettwig, now a suburb in the south of Essen.

Take your camera and stroll through the old town. Explore the side alleys at the bottom of the hill, too. The most spectacular part is Kirchtreppe, the stairway up to the protestant church, which deserves a tip of its own.
Travelogue page with more photos of old Kettwig

If you read German, you will find detailed infromation about streets and buildings on the numerous boards in the streets theat describe the history and architecture and how this very place looked in former times. A goldmine of information.

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The steep stairway up to the protestant church is the most remarkable ensemble in Kettwig's old town. The six half-timbered houses along the stairway have medieval origins, although some of them bear the dates of later repairs. The oldest mentionings originate in the 14th century and archeology proved this true.

The alley used to be property of the church. It also served as one of four "fire alleys", shortcuts downhill to the water in case of fire. Only in 1850 the steep lane was turned into a stairway with steps and railings.

The figure of the night watchman was created in 1982 to substitute an older precedessor.

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I spotted this almost scary ensemble by coincidence from the tram on the way to Borbeck. It is still a construction site but close to completion (August 2010), the offices seem to be already in use.

ThyssenKrupp is a fusion of the two moightiest coal and steel empires from the early times of industrialization. The group have extended their activities to other branches but these two names are forever connected with mining and steel and capitalism in the Ruhr District. They are building their new headquarters here in Essen.

The complex of office buildings surrounds a wide water basin. Dimensions are as huge as the enterprise, more intimidating than inviting.

The main building shows the most interesting architecture. The cubic block has a big square hole in the middle, only closed by transparent glass walls. Bridges connect the floors on both sides. There seem to be some groups of chairs and flower pots; I wonder if these are used for business meetings and such.

An older, probably 1920s or 1930s office block of ThyssenKrupp is still standing on the other side of the road. Quite a difference in size and style.

Note the monument by the road. The bronze relief shows scenes from work in a steel mill, the work the company is based upon.

How to get there: Tram 101, 103, 105, 109 to "ThyssenKrupp", one stop behind Berliner Platz, thus not far from the city centre, should be walkable from there.

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The little water palace in the suburb of Essen-Borbeck belonged to the convent of canonesses in Essen until 1803 and served as residence of the abbess. Its origins are medieval but the present appearance was shaped in 1744, when Prince Abbess Franziska Christina von Pfalz-Sulzbach had it refurbished. The inscription above the portal shows her crest and her full titles. A portrait of her can be found in the Ruhrmuseum at Zollverein (photo 5).

The front facade is framed by two towers. Otherwise the castle/palace is a rather plain rectangular building except for the simple baroque gable. The entire building is surrounded by a moat. The waters are populated by exotic ducks and black swans. A landscape park with beautiful old trees extends behind the palace and invites for a walk among the green.

The castle hosts a restauant which looks a bit 'upscale' (though not too much) and romantic, especially the outdoor seating on the terrace by the water. I was alone so there was no romance, thus no romantic meal for me. (Sniff.) The menu looked good and I am keeping this in mind, just in case...
The City of Essen does civil weddings in the castle. Of course the restaurant offers matching arrangements, so the entire ceremony and festivity can conveniently be done in one place.

The economy building next to the castle is under restoration and behind scaffolding (August 2010).

How to get there: Tram 103 to "Schloss Borbeck", then a walk of 3 minutes downhill along Schlossstraße

This area in the city of Essen was design and build long time ago for the steel employees. So I was told, but I am not going to repeat all its history here, please check the link and search the net for more precise information.

I also crated travelogue with more nice photos I took in this area.

My Gartenstadt Margarethenhöhe travelogue

Margarethe Krupp, the widow of Friedrich Alfred Krupp, was the benefactor of Margarethenhoehe (hence its name). She announced the installation of a "foundation for housing services for the inferior classes" at the wedding of her daughter Bertha to Gustav von Bohlen und Halbach in the year of 1906. The principle of unity of work place and living quarters was broken here, and the idea of a class- and status-embracing community was born. The planning and land development of the garden city was assigned to the architect Georg Metzendorf - he came from souhern germany and may notice the influence of that region in his designs here.

Alongside the main market square in Margarethenhöhe is the Kleiner Markt - here in the pic you can see an example ogf the pergola houses. Most have greenery clinging oto the thier walls adding to the charm of this place. Its no surprise that this housing development is considered a prime example of a German garden suburb and has been under monument protection since 1987.