Summary
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Mönchengladbach is a city consisting of several boroughs surrounding the historic towns of Gladbach and Rheydt. A key feature of this area is its rich array of green spaces; Mönchengladbach is filled with parks such as the Bunter Garten, which bisects Gladbach. Among these parks are medieval estates that encompass Baroque and Renaissance palaces like Schloss Rheydt and Schloss Wickrath.
International sports enthusiasts may recognize the city for its football team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, which consistently performs well in the Bundesliga, often surpassing larger clubs. For cultural enrichment, the Abteiberg Museum presents acclaimed modern and contemporary art housed in an impressive postmodern structure celebrated by renowned architect Frank Gehry.
Let’s explore the top attractions in Mönchengladbach:
1. Abteiberg Museum
Located in the historic center of Mönchengladbach, this museum is housed within a captivating postmodern building, designed by Austrian architect Hans Hollein in the 1970s and completed in 1982. Three and a half decades later, the structure is regarded as a significant representation of its architectural movement and continues to thrive.
It is so highly regarded that Frank Gehry stated that the Bilbao Guggenheim might not have existed without the Abteiberg Museum.
The museum’s collections encompass every 20th-century art movement from Expressionism to Minimalism.
Notable artists featured include Franz Marc, Max Pechstein, Kirchner, Alexander Calder, Oskar Schlemmer, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Heinz Mack, Jean Tinguely, Yves Klein, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein.
2. Borussia Mönchengladbach
Known as Die Fohlen (The Foals), the local football club performs impressively, featuring a squad of well-scouted German and international players.
They compete at Borussia-Park, which accommodates 54,000 spectators and resonates with fervent energy during matches.
On match days, shuttle buses operate from Düsseldorf Airport and the city center of Mönchengladbach, creating an atmosphere filled with camaraderie and enthusiastic singing.
For those interested, behind-the-scenes tours of the stadium are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays when no matches are taking place.
Participants will have the opportunity to see the tunnel, dressing rooms, press room, and dugouts, while learning intriguing stories about the stadium and its players, presented in German.
3. Schloss Rheydt
Located in its namesake borough, Schloss Rheydt is a remarkable Renaissance palace dating back to the 16th century.
The estate was crafted by Maximilian Pasqualini, whose father Alessandro introduced Renaissance architecture to the northern regions of the Alps.
Remarkably, a significant portion of Pasqualini’s original design remains preserved, including Ionic pilasters and reliefs adorning the walls, as well as the elegant loggia.
Since 1922, the interiors of the building, along with its collections of Renaissance and Baroque decorative items, have been functioning as a museum. Among the exhibits are armor, a genuine cabinet of curiosities, and an 18th-century painting by Johann Heinrich Fischer representing the nearby Schloss Wirckrath, acquired at a Sotheby’s auction in 2001. The splendid palace grounds also host a major Renaissance fair featuring jousting each August.
4. Alter Markt
Mönchengladbach was established around the Alter Markt over a millennium ago.
This square retains its role as a focal point of daily life within the city, bordered by bustling pavement cafés and hosting a food market on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings.
The tidy space features modern monuments, including a thermometer tower and a fountain sculpted in 1977 by artist Erwin Heerich.
To the south, the attractive silhouette of the Citykirche am Alten Markt stands, which is more modern than it appears, showcasing Neo-Gothic architecture from the 1930s.
5. Odenkirchen Zoo
Established in 1957, Mönchengladbach’s zoo primarily showcases European species, housing approximately 400 animals.
Notably, one of the largest enclosures is dedicated to nasuas and raccoons, complete with a pool that offers the rare opportunity to observe them swimming.
The zoo is also home to coatis, bison, lynxes, prairie dogs, four species of monkeys, and over 50 varieties of birds, ranging from snowy owls to golden pheasants.
Children will delight in the petting zoo, featuring gentle ponies, goats, and guinea pigs that are available for interaction.
6. Schloss Dyck
Schloss Dyck is one of the Rhineland’s most cherished moated castles, established in the 1100s but receiving its contemporary identity with Baroque and Rococo enhancements in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Surrounded by mature trees and waterways, the grounds are particularly delightful in the summer, hosting classic car fairs.
The castle encompasses two indoor exhibitions to explore: the high castle’s ballroom, adorned with Baroque ceiling frescoes, and additional rooms featuring oriental silk wallpaper, intricately carved wainscoting, and Rococo painted panels.
In the stable yard, visitors can gain insights about the gardens and their transformation from rigid Baroque designs to landscaped parks in the 19th century.
7. Bunter Garten
Stretching in a long, narrow strip, the Bunter Garten connects the Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle performance venue with Gladbach’s cemetery on the city’s northern outskirts.
The park covers 30 hectares and offers a variety of facilities within its expanse.
Features include playgrounds, numerous public art installations, and an aviary that houses over 200 exotic and native species.
Additionally, the park contains a five-hectare botanical garden, characterized by a rockery, herb and medicinal garden, and a unique scent and touch garden designed specifically for visually impaired visitors.
Moreover, a coniferous section boasts 800 types of conifers, including a giant redwood, along with many rhododendron and azalea bushes that bloom spectacularly each spring.
8. Basilica of St. Vitus
Mönchengladbach’s minster was designated a papal basilica by Pope John Paul VI in 1974 to commemorate its 1000th anniversary. This stunning edifice merges Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles.
Among its notable features are the 12th-century Romanesque capitals and blind arches located in the chapel beneath the tower, along with slender stained glass windows found in the choir.
In the northern section of the nave, historic ledger stones commemorate former abbots, while further along in the choir, stands a sculpture depicting the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, dating back to the 1400s.
The altar, constructed in the Early Gothic style, is adorned with pointed arches, and a remarkable Romanesque baptismal font carved from lustrous bluestone in the 1100s is also present.
The treasury houses several fascinating artifacts, including illuminated manuscripts, a runestone, and a portable 12th-century altar fashioned with enamel, giltwood, and cloth reputed to have been laid at the Last Supper table.
9. Kapuzinerplatz
The alternate square forming the historical center of Gladbach is Kapuzinerplatz, completely pedestrianized and lined with bars and cafes beneath gabled houses on its western side.
Central to the square is a striking sculpture composed of interlinking L-shaped marble blocks featuring varying colors and textures, crafted by Heinz Mack, a founding member of the ZERO movement, in 1986.
During the summer, occasional concerts are held in the square, along with market stalls for the Christmas event in December.
For weekend nightlife, this square, along with Waldhausener Straße nearby, serves as a locale where Mönchengladbach’s residents unwind and socialize.
10. Wasserturm
At first glance, one might mistake Mönchengladbach’s early-20th-century water tower for a medieval fortress.
This iconic structure is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, presented in a striking Art Nouveau style that incorporates elements of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.
From the exterior, a viewer can observe stone sculptures of aquatic animals encircling the tower, alongside representations of the mayor of the time, Hermann Piecq, and his family.
The tower contains two water supply tanks: one serving the city center and northern areas, and the other for the lower districts.
If you happen to visit on the first Saturday of the month, the tower is open for tours, leading visitors up 234 steps for a rarely offered panoramic view of the city.
11. Schloss Wickrath
Located in Wickrath, towards the southern edge of Mönchengladbach, Schloss Wickrath is a Baroque moated palace constructed between 1746 and 1772 for Count Otto Friedrich von Quadt.
This palace was designed as a symbol of the count’s authority and status, with the moat crafted in the shape of a coronet worn by Holy Roman Empire rulers.
In 2002, the formal gardens surrounding the estate were restored as part of the state’s garden show.
For casual visitors, these gardens present the primary attraction, featuring charming vistas of the property and its vibrant red walls.
Equestrian enthusiasts will find Schloss Wickrath particularly noteworthy, as it serves as the center for the Rhineland’s breeding registry.
Annually, the estate hosts the Schlossparkturnier in May, a event that features show-jumping and dressage competitions.
12. Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle
Named in honor of Kaiser Friedrich III, who reigned for only 99 days, Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle is a grand Art Nouveau performance venue adjacent to the Bunter Garten.
Distinguishable by its arched windows, the palatial hall was finalized in 1903. Although it survived the war untouched, it has undergone two restorations following fires in the 1960s and 1970s.
The main hall serves as a venue for a variety of concerts and congresses, while a restaurant on an upper terrace affords splendid views of the Bunter Garten.
Moreover, the rear features an outdoor music pavilion, originally constructed in 1905, designed in the shape of a shell, complete with a stucco border topped by the city’s coat of arms.
13. Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park
Beginning at the northwestern border of Mönchengladbach, this nature park encompasses lakes, heathland, and forests, extending across the border into the Netherlands.
Covering an area of 870 square kilometers, the park is named after the significant rivers flowing within it.
Visitors can take advantage of nearly 100 kilometers of renovated walking trails, more than 20 visitor centers, and various attractions, such as a giant sequoia arboretum, historic watermills, manor houses, and museums dedicated to the region’s old textile industry.
Additionally, the park’s ample bodies of water provide opportunities for canoeing and swimming, particularly when weather permits.
14. Museum Insel Hombroich
Occupying 25 hectares on the left bank of the Erft River, Museum Insel Hombroich represents a blend of park and art museum situated on a former NATO rocket base.
This once-neglected site was acquired by art collector Karl Heinrich Müller in 1982, who in the following years commissioned architect Erwin Heerich to design 11 pavilions across the park.
Müller referred to these structures as “chapels in the landscape,” which feature works from his extensive art collection, including pieces by Klimt, Rembrandt, Alexander Calder, Giacometti, Matisse, and Lovis Corinth.
Additionally, the site features the Langen Foundation, a museum for modern and oriental art designed by Tadao Ando, with works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Yves Klein, and Paul Cézanne, along with those from the ZERO group.
15. Karneval
Mönchengladbach offers a unique celebration on Shrove Tuesday, as the city hosts the largest carnival parade in the country.
Measuring six kilometers in length, this parade attracts countless visitors to the city.
The Sunday preceding the parade features a significant gathering for the many “Jecke” (jokers) who participate in the festivities.
On the day of the parade, Mönchengladbach transforms into a hub of entertainment, humor, and spirited revelry.
For those interested in learning more about Mönchengladbach’s Carnival traditions, a museum is located in the Zeughaus (arsenal) building, open on the first Sunday each month, showcasing centuries worth of costumes and signs.
