North Rhine-Westphalia borders Belgium and Holland to the west and is one of the most densely populated regions in Europe. Every fifth German lives here, most of them in the Ruhr region and on the banks of the Rhine.

Cologne, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, with its cathedral, is one of the most important historical cities in Germany.

As a cultural center, it is almost (but not quite) equal to the state capital of Düsseldorf.

Bonn, Beethoven's birthplace, is also located here. An old provincial town, after World War II it unexpectedly became the capital of the state.

Aachen was the capital of Emperor Charlemagne, and the main city of Westphalia, Munster, has an equally venerable history.

When people talk about the Ruhr region, they first of all mean the industrial revolution, when the coal and steel of this region made Germany a powerful industrial power. After traditional production at the end of the 20th century. faded away, the Ruhr region found a rebirth in tourism. There are probably more museums and galleries per capita in the Ruhr region than anywhere else in Germany.

The nature here is very beautiful. The low Siebengebirge mountains opposite Bonn can serve as a starting point for exploring the most romantic part of the Rhineland.

The wooded hills and beautiful villages of the Eifel are particularly popular among the Dutch and Belgians. East of the Rhine lie similar landscapes in the Sauerland, Siegerland and Teutoburg Forest. And the castles of Münsterland, surrounded by moats, are simply a sight to behold.

What else to see in North Rhine-Westphalia

Bad Münstereifel

Bad Münstereifel, surrounded by medieval city walls and gates, sits on the banks of the winding Erft River. It flows cheerfully along the main street under many bridges decorated with flowers.

Walking along the cobbled streets with beautiful old houses is a great way to get to know the city.

The main interest here is the parish church, founded in the 9th century. like the cathedral in the Eifel, near the 12th-century Romanesque house, which now houses the local museum, and the red Gothic Town Hall with galleries.

Among the wooded hills in Effelsberg, you will suddenly see the huge white disk of the world's largest radio telescope.

Diffel

This cool highland with mountain air extends east from the Belgian border to the Rhine and Moselle. There are many lush green forests and winding roads that rise to peaks formed by extinct volcanoes.

Previously, it was one of the poorest and most sparsely populated regions of Germany, and even today it is not very densely populated. People come here to get away from the crowds, although the region has plenty of attractions. For example, the beautifully preserved old Monschau or the Ahr River valley, famous for its red wines.

Falconry in Hellenthal among the green hills of the Eifel.

Hermann statue

The giant figure of Hermann stands on a hill in the Teutoburg Forest. For nationalist Germany in the 19th century. Germanus was a hero, a warrior who crushed the Roman legions when they tried to consolidate their dominance in the lands east of the Rhine.

Today some believe that the battle of 9 AD. e. happened elsewhere, but that doesn't matter. Herman still looks menacingly to the west, shaking a seven-meter sword made of Krupp steel. From the base of the monument there is a beautiful view of the forested region of Lippe.

Lemgo

This old city, which survived war times, has retained a surprisingly picturesque center with medieval and Renaissance buildings. Historical buildings are not museums, people live in them. Beauty went hand in hand with cruelty. One of the most beautiful buildings, the Hexenburgermeister House, in the 16th century. belonged to the burgomaster, who persecuted witches with particular zeal.

Maria Lach

The Eifel is characterized by round lakes in the craters of extinct volcanoes. The largest of them, Lake Lachsee, provides a beautiful backdrop (even despite the noisy motorway) for one of the most important Romanesque buildings in the Rhineland, the monastery church of Maria Lach. The austere building with 6 towers appears larger thanks to the pattern of local volcanic rocks in contrasting colors. In the portico called Paradise, see interesting and often funny carvings, and on the high altar in the eastern part of the building there is a precious Gothic canopy.

Monschau

Monschau's half-timbered buildings with tiled roofs along the banks of the Ruhr River seem like a fairy tale. Many of these buildings housed workshops, whose owners used water to wash and dye fabrics. They became the basis of the city’s prosperity in the 18th century.

Napoleon's troops bypassed the city, and a walk along the main pedestrian street, along bridges and small squares will give you pleasure.

High above the city lie the ruins of two castles. You will get acquainted with the life of a large textile merchant and his family in the magnificently furnished Red House. Particular highlights here are the beautiful spiral staircase and the wallpaper, which feels like an art gallery.

Augustusburg Castle in North Rhine-Westphalia

Bishop Clemens August of Cologne, a generous patron of the arts and a passionate fan of falconry, in 1725 began building a summer residence and hunting castle on the outskirts of the city of Brühl, midway between Bonn and Cologne. The luxurious palace in a regular Baroque park demonstrated the wealth, power and refined taste of its owner, a member of the Bavarian royal family.

The castle has been used for government functions for many years. More than a hundred heads of state climbed the solemn, spectacular staircase designed by the architect's friend, Bavarian Johann Fischer von Erlach.

At the end of the park stands the more modest Falkenlust Castle with beautiful Rococo decoration. It is said that in this secluded place Casanova seduced the wife of the burgomaster of Cologne.

City of Soest

This walled city 60 km east of Dortmund looks like what the Ruhr cities might have been like if the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. bypassed them. Residents of the Ruhr come here on weekends to take a break from the hardships of city life and stroll through medieval streets with half-timbered houses and buildings made from local greenish sandstone.

Towers and spiers of churches rise above the rooftops, most notably the massive Cathedral of St. Patroclus. The Church of Our Lady of Lugovaya is similar to a cathedral in size and beauty. You can see amazing stained glass windows here.

In turn, both of these landscapes are divided into the North Rhine and Westphalian plains, which extend far into the middle mountains, not far from the Rhine. In the north and west stretches the North German Lowland, in the east and south the Rhine Slate Mountains with the Sauerland and Eifel mountain ranges. From south to north the land is crossed by the Rhine, the main river of Germany. Due to the uniqueness of the topography and the significant number of cities, forests occupy only about 24% of the land.

Story

Unlike other German states, North Rhine-Westphalia has never been a historically formed territory of Germany. Since time immemorial, numerous Germanic tribes have lived here: Saxons, Westphalians, Vandals, Frisians, Alemanni. The areas between the Ardennes and the Rhine were historically inhabited by Celtic tribes.
In the 1st century n. e. The Romans appeared here, intending to protect their empire from barbarian raids. For this purpose, the ancient Romans built numerous colony cities on the left bank of the Rhine: Cologne, Bonn, Neuss, Krefeld, Xanten.
In September 9 AD. The historical Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place between the Germans and the Roman army. The Germanic tribes, led by the Cherusci leader Arminius, rebelled and attacked the Roman army as its legions crossed the Teutoburg Forest. The Roman commander Quintilius Varus and 20-30 thousand Roman soldiers died or were tortured to death. This battle became the prologue to the liberation of Germany from the rule of Rome. As a result, the German lands remained independent, and the Rhine River remained the northern border of the Roman Empire in the west.
In the XVII-XVIII centuries. part of Westphalia remained under Prussian-Brandenburg control and was a territory divided into many feudal duchies that were at war with each other. Westphalia - along with Eastphalia - was the Duchy of Saxony, until in 1180 Emperor Barbarossa personally awarded it the title of Duchy of Westphalia.
It was here, in Westphalia, in the middle of the 17th century. One of the fundamental documents in German history was signed: the Peace of Westphalia put an end to the Thirty Years' War, reconciled Catholics and Protestants, laid the foundations of modern European diplomacy and created a new political order, which was based on the concept of “Westphalian (state) sovereignty.” Therefore, in particular, in North Rhine-Westphalia there is practically no dominant religion and all faiths have equal rights.
On October 14, 1806, the French Emperor Napoleon defeated the Prussian army at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, and according to the Peace of Tilsit of 1807, the Kingdom of Westphalia was created, which became a vassal of France. When the Napoleonic wars ended, the lands of Westphalia returned to Prussia, which turned them into the military-industrial region of the Ruhr region.

North Rhine-Westphalia was created as a separate German state in 1946, after World War II, by a strong-willed decision of the military administration of the British occupation zone. In the post-war history of Europe, this event was called “Operation Wedding”: at the request of France and the USSR, the provinces of the former state of Prussia were liquidated and transformed into independent lands. Bonn, the former capital of Germany, is located in North Rhine-Westphalia. The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia has become, despite the active competition of Cologne, a large industrial city, railway junction and cultural center.
Some out of habit call themselves “Rhenish”, others demand to be addressed as “Westphalians”. However, this did not stop them from turning their land into the most developed and richest region of Western Europe.
The once internal border between Westphalia and the Rhineland roughly coincides with the area of ​​settlement of the Saxons and Franks in the Middle Ages. The border itself may not be very striking, but there are noticeable dialect differences in the language of the inhabitants of the two historical regions.
North Rhine-Westphalia is not only an economically developed region, but also the birthplace of many outstanding artists: composer Ludwig van Beethoven, poet Heinrich Heine, artist Joseph Beuys and many others. There are four major UNESCO World Heritage Sites within the land: Cologne Cathedral, Aachen Cathedral, Augustusburg Palace in Brühl and the Zeche Zollverein coal mine in Essen. Cologne Cathedral is a long-standing symbol of the city and the most visited attraction in all of Germany.
The Rhine-Ruhr region - cities closely located on the territory of the state - is one of the world's largest urban agglomerations: an area of ​​7110 km 2, a population of about 10.1 million people (2007). Viewed from above, this region has the shape of a triangle, its borders stretching along the banks of the Rhine and Ruhr, right up to their confluence. The boundaries between neighboring cities are often unclear, since they have practically merged into one huge settlement. This region is the basis of the German economy, also its most important transport hub:
road (several autobahns of European importance), railway, air (three international airports), river (here is the Rhine, the largest river highway in Europe, the port of Duisburg, the world's largest river port, and the port of Dortmund, the world's largest canal port).
In addition, this region has huge deposits of brown coal, which began to be mined here back in the 13th century. Ferrous metallurgy, steel production, and the textile industry turned North Rhine-Westphalia into the richest land in Germany, which at the same time gave rise to a lot of problems.
The repurposing of the land's economy was helped equally by a series of economic crises and environmental threats, due to which the Rhine turned into perhaps the dirtiest river in the world.
Now preference is given to such industries as electronics, microtechnology, information technology, and microbiology. Reducing and optimizing environmentally harmful industries helped clean up the waters of the Rhine and set aside a fifth of the earth's territory for nature reserves and reservoirs.
In North Rhine-Westphalia there are about 200 open-air museums alone, and this entire land ranks fifth in the world in terms of concentration of historical and cultural monuments in one administrative territory.
The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf is one of the most economically developed cities in the Rhine-Ruhr region, which is home to Germany's third largest international airport.

general information

Location: Western part of Germany.
Capital: Dusseldorf, 588,735 people. (2010).
Administrative division: 5 administrative districts (Dusseldorf, Cologne, Münster, Detmold, Arnsberg), 31 districts, 22 cities of state subordination.
Language: German.
Ethnic composition: Germans - 89%, Turks - 3.4%, Italians - 1%, Poles - 0.6%, Greeks - 0.5%, others - 5.5%.
Religions: Catholicism (52%). Protestantism, Judaism, Islam.
Currency unit: Euro.
Large cities: Dusseldorf, Essen, Duisburg, Bochum, Wuppertal.
Largest rivers: Rhine, Ruhr, Ems, Lippe, Weeer.
Major airports: Düsseldorf, named after Konrad Adenauer (Cologne/Bonn), Münster/Osnabrück, Dortmund.
The most important port: Duisburg.

Numbers

Area: 34,088.01 km2.
Population: 17,845,154 people (2010).
Population density: 523.5 people/km 2 .
Highest point: Mount Langenberg (843 m).

Economy

GDP: €521.7 billion (21.7% of German GDP, 2009).
Germany's main investment region (approx. 28% of direct investment). Headquarters of the world's largest companies.
Research Center of Western Europe.
Industry: mechanical engineering, automotive industry, high-tech and innovative technologies, lignite, steel, textile, chemical, paper, optical, communication and environmentally friendly technologies.
Agriculture: crop production, livestock farming.

Climate and weather

Moderately continental.
Average January temperature:+1 - +4°С.
Average temperature in July:+13 - +22°С
Average annual precipitation: from 600 mm on plains to 1400 mm on hills.

Attractions

■ city ​​of Bielefeld: Neustadter Marienkirche temple (XIII century), Sparenburg fortress (XVI century);
■ city ​​of Bonn: Town Hall Square (11th century) the house where Ludwig van Beethoven was born, Parliament (20th century), Villa Hammerschmidt, Schaumburg Palace Museum of German History;
■ city ​​of Bottrop: waste heap “Ganil”;
■ Bochum city: Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (XI century). Bochum Bell:
■ city ​​of Wuplertal: Town Hall in Elberfeld (1900);
■ city ​​of Gelsenkirchen: Oret Castle (XVI century), Berge Castle (XVI century).
■ city ​​of Dortmund: Church of St. Rinald (XII-XVIII centuries);
■ city ​​of Cologne: Church of St. Gereon (IV century), Church of St. Maurice im Capital (XI century), Church of St. Klibert (XIII century), Cologne Cathedral (XIII-XIX centuries), Benrath Castle, Chocolate Museum;
■ city ​​of Solingen: Burg Castle (XIII century);
■ city ​​of Munster: St. Paul's Cathedral (XIII century);
■ city ​​of Oberhausen: Burg Vondern Castle (XIII century), Holten Castle (XIV century), Oberhausen Castle (XIX century)

Curious facts

■ North Rhine-Westphalia is the largest exhibition center in the world: thanks to large exhibition complexes in Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Essen, international exhibitions are held here, attracting about 6 million visitors every year.
■ The waste heap (mound of industrial waste) “Ganil” in the German city of Bottrop on the border with the Sterkrade district of Oberhausen is one of the highest waste heaps in the Ruhr region (height - 159 m). The waste heap was formed as a result of rock dumping during the mining process of hard coal at the Prosper-Ganil mine.
■ North Rhine-Westphalia welcomes approximately 13.5 million visitors annually. There are about 600 museums, 80 thousand architectural and other monuments, as well as more than 160 theaters.
■ The Pader River, with a length of 4 km, flows through the city of Paderborn, is considered the shortest river in Germany.
■ Bochum Bell - a bell in the city of Bochum, installed at the city hall, made in 1851 by master Jacob Mayer. Steel industrialist Alfred Krupp disputed Jakob Mayer's primacy in the field of shaped steel casting and argued that the bell was made of cast iron. Krupp allocated a large sum of money for the examination, but lost the argument: cast steel was indeed first produced in Bochum.
■ The city of Gelsenkirchen, due to the light of burning torches in which coking plants burned excess gas. received the nickname "City of 1000 Lights".
■ The city of Cologne is the birthplace of a cologne (eau de Cologne - literally “Cologne water”) called Farina.
■ There are no industrial enterprises in Münster, and the population is mainly employed in education and management, for which Münster is often called the “Desk of Westphalia.”

The area of ​​this land, located in the west of the country, is 34,075 sq. km, the population is 17.9 million people, the capital is the city (Duesseldorf).

North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as some other federal states, was created by the will of the British occupation authorities in 1946. The Prussian provinces on the Rhine Lippe-Detmold and Westphalia united into one. This land of "coal and steel", the largest in population, with cities running into each other, crossed on all sides by railways, highways, waterways, is the famous Ruhr, the industrial heart of Germany.

Almost half of the population lives in cities with more than 500 thousand inhabitants; the population density of 521 people/sq. km is one of the highest in Europe.

45 out of 100 large German companies have their factories in North Rhine-Westphalia. Here is the center of the country's electricity supply - 31 large power plants operate. The city of Duisburg on the Rhine has the largest river port on the continent. 200 thousand ships pass up and down the river every year. Until recently, the appearance of North Rhine-Westphalia was determined by the smoking chimneys of factories and power plants, blast furnaces, piledrivers over mines, and high-voltage power lines. "Father Rhine", sung by poets and artists, began to be called "the sewer of Europe."

Since the 60s Residents of Northern Germany began to increasingly insistently demand “clear skies over the Ruhr.” It would seem that the impossible has become possible. It was possible to radically change the economy of North Rhine-Westphalia. If before 1960 every eighth wage worker worked in the coal industry, now only twenty-fifth. Unprofitable mines were closed, and artificial lakes and parks appeared in place of open coal mines. People went to work in medium and small companies; there are more than 500 thousand of them in the world, many are equipped with the most modern technology.

Now 230 thousand people are employed in the cultural and media sectors alone - more than in all the coal mines and steel mills. There are 54 universities and 500 thousand students in North Rhine-Westphalia. 1,600 environmental protection enterprises have been established here.

In the most industrialized state of Germany, half of the territory is used in agriculture, almost a quarter is occupied by forests. Pristine nature with fairy-tale castles surrounded by water has been preserved in Westphalia, in the area of ​​​​the city of Muenster. Here they practice equestrian sports and breed horses.

The most attractive city for tourists is (Koeln), the largest in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Cologne Cathedral, which took eight centuries to build, is known throughout the world. The city has many Romanesque churches, museums - among them the Roman-Germanic, Ludwig, and art of the Far East.

It is very interesting to visit the city during the autumn carnival - every year it begins on November 11 at 11:11 am.

The capital of the land, the city is known not only as a major financial center. It is also a city of arts with rich art collections.

A few more figures: on the territory of the former “pot of coal” there are 68 thousand architectural monuments, there are 15 opera and 99 drama theaters, and 12 million visitors visit 390 museums annually.

In September 1988, an unusual swimmer jumped into the Rhine and swam half a kilometer to the other side. It was Klaus Töpfer, the then Federal Minister for the Environment. He clearly showed that the Rhine is becoming clean. And although the ideal is still far away, the facts are eloquent: the concentration of the most toxic substances, including heavy metal compounds, has decreased by half.

One of Germany's most populous states, consisting of two historically independent territories, the urbanized region of North Rhine and Westphalia, it exhibits great diversity. The land was founded after World War II by the British occupation authorities in an attempt to connect not only regions, but also people, different ethnic groups.

The most frequently visited cities in Germany by tourists are located in this land. Here you can find numerous headquarters of large and medium-sized corporations in Germany, European outposts of Asian and American transnational companies, and world-famous production facilities. The most important trade fairs take place in Düsseldorf and Cologne.

View of Dusseldorf, Germany (Photo © pxhere.com / CC0 Public Domain License)

What to see in North Rhine-Westphalia: state map and important attractions

Tourists are primarily interested in large cities with a rich history and vibrant modern life, filled with events, such as the famous Cologne carnival. There are many museums, cultural centers, concert halls, and theaters concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia.

3. Old Market (Alter Markt) and St. Rinald's Church (Reinoldikirche) in Dortmund.

4. Düsseldorf's Altstadt was completely destroyed during WWII, but was rebuilt according to historical plans on the foundation walls, making it identical to the original Old Town. Altstadt is the most popular spot day and night, and on weekends it turns into the "world's longest bar" with numerous cafes and breweries.

5. Half-timbered houses in Münster.

What to do in North Rhine-Westphalia: cultural heritage

1. Visit castles of Münsterland, a historical and geographical region called the land of 1000 castles. Admire the flamingo colony in the nature reserve Zwilbrocker-Venne (in Vreden).
2. Learn about the history of the mining industry in German Mining Museum in Bochum(this is one of the most important museums of this type in the world).
3. Historical revue in Bonn– a walk through the original places of the city, accompanied by interesting stories and legends, and a tour dedicated to places associated with Ludwig van Beethoven.
4. Devote time to a cultural event. North Rhine-Westphalia is home to Germany's largest and most famous musical theaters. The Capitol Theater in Düsseldorf, the Star Express Theater in Bochum, the Metronome in Oberhausen, the Wuppertal Opera and others, which are beacons of high culture in the region.

Where to eat and drink in North Rhine-Westphalia:

1. There is no specific North Rhine-Westafalian cuisine, but the towns are home to many ethnic restaurants of all shapes and sizes, from döner kebab stalls to fine dining establishments. It should be noted that Düsseldorf has a significant Japanese population (Japanese companies have their European headquarters here) and due to this, the city has many Japanese restaurants, and of the highest class.
2. The favorite drink in North Rhine-Westafalia is beer. Every city is proud of its breweries and unique brands, just mention Kölsch in Cologne.

3. Bottrop

5. Wuppertal

6. Gelsenkirchen

7. Dortmund

8. Duisburg

9. Dusseldorf

12. Krefeld

13. Leverkusen

14. Mönchengladbach

15. Mülheim an der Ruhr

16. Munster

17. Oberhausen

18. Remscheid

19. Hagen

21. Herne

22. Essen

Heraldry

The coat of arms depicts the coats of arms of the three provinces from which North Rhine-Westphalia was formed in 1946-1947. The silver Rhine stripe on a green background appeared in the coat of arms of the Prussian province of Rhineland after 1817. The “Saxon horse” on a red background is a symbol of Westphalia, where representatives of the Saxon dynasty lived. However, in the Westphalian version he is depicted rearing. The red rose with a gold core and gold calyx leaves has been the coat of arms of the Counts of Lippe since the 13th century. The flag of the land consists of the colors of the coat of arms.

North Rhine Westphalia
Nordrhein-Westfallen (NRW)

Capital: Dusseldorf.

Population: 18.080 million people.

Square: 34.000 sq. km.

Population density: 525 people per 1 sq. km.

Foreigners: OK. 2,000,000 people.

North Rhine-Westphalia, with its 17.9 million inhabitants, is the most populous state in Germany. About 30% of the German population lives here. The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia is Dusseldorf.

North Rhine-Westphalia is located in western Germany and borders Belgium (99 km), the Netherlands (387 km), as well as the states of Lower Saxony (583 km), Hesse (269 km) and Rhineland-Palatinate (307 km)

The name Nordrhein-Westfalen came from the charter of the British military government on August 23, 1946. from the province of Westphalia (Provinz Westfalen) and the province of North Rhine (Provinz Nordrhein). January 21, 1947 the land of Lippe also joined them.

The great economic strength of North Rhine-Westphalia lies in its many industrial sectors, as well as in the extraction of numerous mineral resources in the Ruhr and Aachen districts.

Industries such as coal, iron, steel, and textiles have made North Rhine-Westphalia the richest land in the republic. Agriculture plays a less important role, as it serves mainly to supply food items to the inhabitants of the Northern Rhine megacities.

The land is divided into two large typically German landscapes: the Northern Lowlands and the German Highlands. These landscapes are further divided into the North Rhine and Westphalen bays, which are located deep in the middle mountains, next to the Rhine.

On the left side of the Rhine lie parts of the Eifel mountains and the Vennvorland (Aachen region). On the right side of the Rhine are: Bergische Land, Sauerland, Rothaargebirge (red hair hill), Siegerland, Siebengebirge and parts of the western forest and Weserbergland. . Forests occupy about 24% of Vietnam's land.

Attractions

Düsseldorf is a city of art, fashion, congresses and exhibitions. Wide streets with elegant shops, a belt of parks and green areas that span the entire city give the city its unique face. Walking here you can see with what elegance and pleasure you can spend money. Benrath Castle in the southern part of Düsseldorf was built for the governor Karl Theodor over 200 years ago as a holiday and hunting castle. This one and only ensemble of the castle and park is considered one of the most important and beautiful of its kind.

Interesting sights in Bonn: Romanesque cathedral (XI-XIII centuries); town hall 1782; the house where Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770; Parliament House (1950); Villa Hammerschmidt (residence of the country's president); Schaumburg Palace (residence of the Federal Chancellor

Cologne is located on the Rhine River, North Rhine-Westphalia. The fourth largest city in Germany with a population of 1 million inhabitants. Cologne is located between Bonn and Düsseldorf and is part of a large metropolis on the Rhine. Cologne is the birthplace of cologne and Kölsch beer, the European capital of Ford factories and the site of one of the largest and most colorful German holidays - the Cologne Carnival. Be sure to visit the Chocolate Museum, which will drive those with a sweet tooth crazy. State National Galleries in Cologne: Romano-Germanic Museum with a collection of art objects from the ancient Roman period; the Wallraf-Richartz Museum with a collection of ivory items; Museum of East Asian Art. Architectural structures: Cologne Cathedral in the Gothic style with two spiers 157 meters high (construction began in 1248, completed in 1880), the cathedral contains the remains of the three wise men, who, according to the New Testament, brought gifts to the baby Jesus; Church of St. Maurice im Kapital (1049); Church of St. Gereon (2nd century); Church of St. Clibert (XIII century). Zoo, aquarium, botanical garden.

On our website you will find brief descriptions of attractions:

In Bonn: St. Martin's Basilica, Cathedral, Remigius Church, Town Hall Square, Godesbourg Castle, University, Beethoven Museum, Robert House Museum, Art Museum

In Cologne: Cologne Cathedral, City Hall, Gürzenich, Cologne House 4711 and shop, Perfume Museum in the House of Farina, Cologne Bridges, Roman-German Museum, Ludwig Museum, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Museum of East Asian Culture, Schnütgen Museum, Rautenstrauch Museum -Josta, Museum of Applied Arts, Cologne City Museum, Archaeological Area, German Sports and Olympic Museum, German Sports and Olympic Museum, Sculpture Park on Riehlr Strasse, Flora Garden and Botanical Garden, Zoo, Botanical Garden and Forest Park, Rhine Park, Finkensgarten

In Lüdenscheid: Lüdenscheid Center, Church of the Savior, Pseudo-Gothic Church of Christ, Church of St. Joseph and Medarus, House of Culture, City Library, City History Museum, Blacksmith Museum, Phanomenta, Neuenhof Castle, Oedenthal Castle, City Park, Loher Waldchen, Brighouse Park, Stilleking Nature Reserve, Mount Homert, Hussar Oaks, Versetalsperre Dam, Uncle Willie Monument , Neumann Fountain, fountain with a metal figure of a herald

In Bruhl: Bruhl Palaces, Max Ernst Museum

Short story

After World War II, the territory of today's North Rhine-Westphalia was in the British occupation zone. The new state was created on August 23, 1946 from the former Prussian province of Westphalia and the northern part of the Rhineland (German Rheinland) by the British occupation administration in order to counter the internationalization of the Ruhr Basin (a French demand supported by the Soviet Union) in accordance with regulation No. 46 “On the liquidation of the provinces of the former State Prussia in the British zone and their transformation into independent lands." In this way, access to the Ruhr basin was guaranteed as a single administrative unit.

In 1947, under pressure from the occupation authorities, the former state of Lippe was forced to renounce its independence and, after negotiations with the neighboring states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, became part of the latter. According to the order of the British military command No. 77 of January 21, 1947, the unification came into force and was supposed to be confirmed by a plebiscite 5 years later, but it was not held. On November 5, 1948, the state parliament passed the “Law on the unification of Lippe-Detmold with North Rhine-Westphalia,” officially completing the process of unification of the states.

On May 8, 1949, the German Parliamentary Council adopted a constitution. North Rhine-Westphalia became a German state.