The new Mülheim

Mülheim and the Ruhr - a centuries-old connection. The history and development of the town are firmly linked to the river; it has made its deciding mark. And it all began over a thousand years ago: At that time, a branch of the route which served the king, the army and traders - the Hellweg - ran through the river ford in Mülheim.
In 883 / 884 the first fortification was built to protect this strategically important point - no other western European Carolingian fortification is still in such good repair as Schloß Broich (Broich Castle). However, it is not only here or on the Kirchenhügel (Church Hill) with the Petrikirche (St. Peter´s Church), whose origins can be traced back as far as the year 1200, that such relics from the towns history can be found. In the 11th century, Schloß Styrum (Styrum Chateau) close to the northern bank of the Ruhr was first mentioned, and was known as Oberhof Stierhem in around 800. Like Schloß Broich, which today serves as a venue for events, official and private functions, this well maintained and recently renovated estate is now used as a senior citizens day centre, a restaurant, an art studio and a place where people can meet. There is another similar meeting centre as well, the offices of Catholic organisations in Kloster Saarn (Saarn Cloister) which was founded by Cistercian nuns in 1214 and also nestles close to the river. St. Laurentius-Kirche (St. Lawrence´s Church) in Mintard at the southern end of the Ruhr is much older: it was first mentioned in 873.

Documents dated 1033 and 1145 are proof of the early use of the river as a traffic route. For centuries the Ruhr was also a vital economic artery: On the banks and in the valleys of the streams were the mills which gave the town its name. The leather and textile industry used water from the Ruhr - as shown at the leather and tanner museum. Once cargo shipping really got going after locks were built, the Ruhr was the busiest river in Europe. For a century Mülheim was the centre of shipping on the Ruhr and the coal trade, and international companies were founded here. The rail link and the subsequent decline of coal shipping brought the first structural change: the mining, iron and metal processing industries grew in importance - an importance which continued up to the mid 1960s, when the pits were closed and the blast furnaces shut down. The "Kohlenpott" ("Coal pot" - the nickname for the Ruhr area) changed its appearance - and Mülheim was the first town to lose all its pits. One example is the site of the Humboldt pit, now the Rhein Ruhr Centre, which draws its customers from many of the neighbouring towns.

Mülheim has become a popular site for trade and service companies, for research and technology. Major companies with a world-wide reputation have their headquarters here, as do the Max-Planck-Institutes for Carbon Research and Bioinorganic Chemistry, a water research institute, a radiology institute and a centre for innovation and technology; tubes and power stations made in Mülheim are despatched throughout the world. But that is by no means the end of the list of industries that have settled here: microelectronics, leather goods, malt, shoes, modern office and telecommunications technology, food and even airships make up the range of products "made in Mülheim".

Back to the Ruhr: 14 kms of the cleanest industrial river in Germany run right through the town centre, past the Town Hall and the "Stadthalle" (the city´s function centre), past factories and - above all - green areas. Half of the city´s area, 51 % to be exact, is taken up by green areas, woodland, fields and parks. And it is particularly green along the Ruhr, where only 4 % of the river bank has been built up. So it is no wonder that the walk through the Ruhr gardens and along the towpath from the town centre to Kettwig has been the "Sunday programme" for many of Mülheim´s citizens and for visitors from other towns for many years now.

And if walking is a problem, the river and its surroundings can be admired from the deck of the White Fleet - from the water station with its unique floral clock, under the 61 metre high and 1.8 km long Ruhr Valley Bridge to Essen-Kettwig. In April 1992 the route was opened in a northerly direction. Under the motto "Town on the River" and as part of the Mülheim Regional Garden Show ("MüGa" for short), over 7 kms of the Ruhr were given a facelift: new bridges, cycle and footpaths were built, the residential value in some areas of the town was improved, industrial areas were redeveloped, parks and a complete range of new attractions were created.

For instance, the old Water Tower near Schloß Broich. Its new interior literally has to be seen to be believed: A camera obscura, comparable in its size and accessibility only to those in Edinburgh and San Francisco, gives the visitor a completely new impression of the town on the Ruhr. Working on the principle of the light every object reflects, light is projected through a small opening into the dark room and onto the opposite side. A system of lenses focuses the light and increases the brightness at a certain level of sharpness, a mirror throws light onto the projection area and shows the image the right way round. Since August 2006 the Museum "Prehistory of Film" is situated on the tree lower floors with the fantastic exibits of the Collection "S" explaining the development of moving pictures.
And there is another water tower which has been given a new lease of life: The old water tank in Styrum is now the home of the "Aquarius" water museum. Two glass elevators transport the visitor to different levels which present the culture and myth, science, history and ecology of everything to do with water in the modern museum fashion - with monitors, computer games and simulators.

On the Schleuseninsel (Lock Island), the "Haus Ruhrnatur" (Ruhr Nature House) in a former boathouse protected by a conservation order gives information on the ecological, hydrological and geological peculiarities of the Ruhr Valley. A walk along the Fossilienweg (Fossil Way) is most educational - schools in Mülheim helped to lay a geological nature trail at the Rauen Quarry. There are three attractions especially for children on the MüGa area: the new playgrounds, which offer not only extraordinary things to play with, but also allow the children to learn by playing with lots of water and sand - and of course by "messing about". As part of the MüGa, the former ring locomotive shed became a cultural centre for theatre groups, associations and sports groups. Talking of culture, theatre buffs probably already know the town well, as ever since 1976 the best new German-language play entered for the theatre festival in May has been awarded the prize for the best dramatist. The "Theater an der Ruhr" is only four years younger. The ensemble surrounding Roberto Ciulli has built up an international reputation and has performed as guests of theatres far and wide. Outstanding productions attract critics and audiences who often come from great distances to see performances on the Raffelberg stage.

All this professional acting appears to have had its effect: amateur theatre like the senior citizens group "Mülheimer Spätlese" ("Mülheim Late Vintage"), the Protestant Hospital Theatre Group, school or free theatre groups constantly draw a full house. For those who prefer museums to performing art there is a wealth of enjoyment here. Apart from the private galleries, there is a municipal museum in the "Alten Post" ("Old Post Office") which displays a collection of international graphic art and works by German 20th century artists from the foundation of Prof. Dr. Karl Ziegler and his wife Maria. Prof. Ziegler was a Nobel Prize winner and once director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Carbon Research. More unusual collections are displayed in the Office Museum in the Town Hall Tower, a museum which is unique in the Federal Republic of Germany. Visitors interested in history can stop at the Museum of Local History named after the pietist Gerhard Tersteegen which nestles in the heart of the old part of the city and presents a picture of life in "old" Mülheim.
Naturally, water also plays an important role in sport. But that does not mean that sports like rowing, canoeing or canoe-polo are the only activities in Mülheim. On the contrary: Particularly the hockey players at HTC Uhlenhorst have an impressive collection of medals and trophies. Mülheim is also a recognised centre for top-level badminton. The Raffelberg Racecourse is of interest to the expert spectator and anyone who wants to saddle up will find numerous riding centres and bridle paths in Mülheim's countryside. And there is even the opportunity to take to the air at Essen / Mülheim Airport, the home of clubs, flying and gliding schools and the airships of the WDL (West German Airborne Advertising). The range of sporting facilities available is complemented by a golf course on the southern edge of the city and - since 1999 - a second one, situated at a most ununsual location: the Raffelberg Racecourse Green!

There is a lot which is "typical" in Mülheim. On the gastronomic side there are specialities on offer - and not only of the culinary variety. It is almost taken for granted that many of the restaurants and cafés along the Ruhr that invite walkers and cyclists to stop and have a breather were popular with the Mölmschen´s great-grandparents ("Mölmsche" is what the people of Mülheim call themselves in their dialect). This is also a tradition: old buildings are maintained and used. So pubs, cafés and restaurants are often housed in historical buildings, and not only on the footpaths along the river. While the old part of the city on Kirchenhügel (Church Hill) cannot compare with the more famous old part of Düsseldorf as far as the number of gastronomic delights on offer is concerned, the half-timbered houses which now house countless restaurants and pubs create a special atmosphere in Mülheim. Another attraction for an historical "pub crawl" are the art nouveau terraced houses on the edge of the town centre which are protected by a conservation order. All over the city art, culture and history are brought together in a very special manner which, once again, proves the city´s strong relationship with water: the town centre and various parts of the city are marked by numerous fountains, creatively fashioned or combined with sculptures - further proof of the fact that the people of Mülheim are very aware of tradition. There is, of course, also a local dialect, "Mölmsch Platt", which is, admittedly, only spoken fluently by a few "aulen Mölmschen" ("old Mülheimers"), but thanks to language courses, regular meetings and reading competitions for children or special pages on our homepage, the dialect, which has its origins in down-high-German and strongly resembles Dutch, is kept alive. Mülheim´s convenient position in a densely-populated area that has long since shaken off its image of the sooty coal area. The large and varied range of facilities and events, the fact that so much of the city is green or devoted to leisure and recreation - Mülheim has all these advantages. The Mülheimer themselves are unanimous: 91 % of those asked in a representative survey said they liked living here - that speaks for itself and is a hearty thumbs-up for Mülheim an der Ruhr.