Krefeld

Krefeld with is tex­tile his­tory is ly­ing to the left of the river Rhine. It is best known among ar­chi­tec­ture en­thu­si­asts as the two silk-in­dustry rep­res­ent­at­ives Lange and Es­ters had their im­press­ive vil­las built here by ar­chi­tect Lud­wig Mies van der Rohe. The moated castle Linn, of­fer­ing in­sights in­to life on the Lower Rhine in cen­tur­ies of the past, adds an­oth­er high­light.

Krefeld, once also called “Krähenfeld” (crow’s field) served as a place of refuge for many people prosecuted for their faith in the surrounding lands back in 1600. The “von der Leyens”, who brought an economic upswing to Krefeld as a textile centre, were one of the best-known families in the local Mennonite community. Although large parts of Krefeld were destroyed in World War II, the town continues to be an important site of industry and is part of Germany’s creative scene to this day with the design course at the Hochschule Niederrhein university.

Art in Krefeld

Krefeld has some art museums of international renown: The Kaiser Wilhelm Museum and the Haus Lange and Haus Esters museums are exhibiting changing selections of contemporary art from a comprehensive collection. The two Haus Lange and Haus Esters villas are some outstanding witnesses of the time of the Neues Bauen style in Germany, impressively reflecting the Bauhaus ideas.

The moated castle Linn

Anyone feeling like travelling back through time should take a trip to the historical quarter of Linn, where a moated castle more than nine centuries old, complete with a hunting lodge, an archaeological museum, and the Deutsches Textilmuseum can be found. Permanent and special exhibitions are supplemented by interactive events and presentations. You might, for example, take a trip through time to old recipe collections, baking tins, and kitchen equipment in the historical hunting lodge kitchen, followed by a walk through the park or the well-preserved old town of Linn with its little cafes and cosy restaurants. Speaking of the park: more than 300 exhibitors from across Germany and the adjacent countries are showing off their production of clothes, cultural heritage, and useful objects with historical methods here during the traditional Flachsmarkt event at Pentecost.

650 years of Krefeld

Travellers coming to Krefeld in 2023 will get an opportunity of participating in innumerable special events across the city, which is celebrating its 650th anniversary with a special cultural and interactive programme aligned with the four seasons. From spring pleasures, it passes through a festival summer into autumn illumination and winter sounds. Highlights of the seasonal variety include the urban gardening project “Essbare Stadt” (“edible city”), which is to set up more than 100 fruit and vegetable beds in the public space, the “Silk City Gallery”, a street art campaign with artists turning desolate areas into oases of colour, and a hot-air balloon festival that will amaze its audience on the Krefeld racetrack at Easter. A Montgolfière designed specifically for the anniversary will be involved there, too, recognisable by its teal colour with red highlights and the “Krefeld 650” script.