Summary
Nestled on the left bank of the Rhine, not far from Düsseldorf, Krefeld is a composite of towns that were amalgamated into a single city at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, Krefeld was a flourishing textile hub known for its silk and velvet weaving.
Today, Krefeld is still referred to as the “Samt- und Seidenstadt,” translating to the velvet and silk city, with several establishments showcasing this legacy. The German Textiles Museum, for example, features one of the world’s most extensive fabric collections. The wealth generated from the textile industry is unmistakable in various properties throughout the city, with Haus Lange and Haus Esters being particularly noteworthy. These structures, crafted by Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, now serve as part of the city’s art museum.
Below are the top attractions in Krefeld:
1. Burg Linn
Located in the eastern suburb of Linn, Burg Linn is the oldest castle along the Lower Rhine.
Constructed by the local landowner Otto von Linn in the 1100s, it became one of the largest moated castles in the region by the 1400s.
However, during the War of the Spanish Succession, it was demolished and remained roofless for around 250 years before undergoing extensive restoration after World War II.
The structure has since been restored to its Late Gothic style, and visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the landscape from the upper keep.
Inside the castle, a 14th-century chapel features lancet windows and Gothic vaults, enhancing its historical significance.
The grounds are also worth exploring, including the castle outbuildings, remnants of 17th-century bastions, the moat, and mature trees scattered throughout the site.
2. Museum Burg Linn
Adjacent to the castle, this 18th-century hunting lodge serves as a museum dedicated to the Lower Rhine region.
This lodge was previously utilized by Clemens August of Bavaria, the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne.
The interiors and furnishings from the 18th and 19th centuries have been preserved, alongside a collection of historical mechanical musical instruments such as music boxes and player pianos, which are activated on Sundays.
Notably, the archaeological museum showcases significant discoveries from this site and the surrounding Lower Rhine area, including pottery, glassware, jewelry, and ceremonial armor from approximately 6,000 Roman tombs unearthed in nearby Gellep.
Make sure to view the Carolingian barge and the remains of Otto von Linn, the founder of Burg Linn, who lived 900 years ago.
3. Kaiser Wilhelm Museum
The primary building housing the Kunstmuseen Krefeld is an eclectic palace that was inaugurated in 1899. The museum boasts an extensive reserve of 14,000 works across various genres, including painting, sculpture, graphic art, applied art, photography, and new media. The emphasis is on 20th-century art, featuring works by notable artists such as Rodin, Monet, and Expressionists like Emil Nolde, Heinrich Campendonk, Kandinsky, and Kirchner.
As one moves through the 1920s collection, one encounters Constructivists such as Piet Mondrian and László Moholy-Nagy.
Further along in post-1945 galleries, renowned artists like Joseph Beuys, Heinz Mack, and Sigmar Polke take the spotlight.
Various exhibitions at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum have included the works of Giacometti and Alexander Calder.
4. Haus Lange and Haus Esters
These two villas, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, were commissioned by two textile industrialists in Krefeld.
Constructed in 1928, they embody the Bauhaus style, comprising reinforced concrete blocks clad in brick.
The innovative use of concrete permitted expansive window openings, allowing ample natural light to illuminate the interiors.
Both Haus Lange and Haus Esters are included under the umbrella of “Kunstmuseen Krefeld” and are significant architectural works in their own right.
Furthermore, the gardens, designed by Mies van der Rohe, adhere to strict formalism, featuring straight pathways and beech hedges neatly trimmed at right angles.
5. Deutsches Textilmuseum
The German Textile Museum is internationally acclaimed for its comprehensive collection of textiles, clothing, and woven fabrics spanning diverse periods and geographic regions.
The museum houses approximately 30,000 artifacts; due to preservation considerations, it only hosts temporary exhibitions, meaning the museum will be closed when there is no exhibit in place.
This collection originated in the 19th century as an educational archive for Krefeld’s textile companies, aimed at training machine operators and designers.
Over time, it has integrated pieces from the Prussian Royal Fabric Collection, private donations, and liturgical vestments that were damaged during the war.
To ensure fabric preservation, the internal temperature is maintained at 18°C, with the current exhibition focusing on the history of German high fashion.
6. Stadtpark Uerdingen
For those seeking respite or a location for morning exercise, the Stadtpark in Uerdingen is a recommended destination.
Landscaped in the 1900s, this area was transformed from marshland into a charming pond.
Enhancing this picturesque setting on the southern side of the pond is a restaurant housed within a listed Neoclassical building dating back to 1911. As is customary in parks, numerous attractions are seasonal.
In the early spring, the meadow near the entrance bursts into color with 10,000 daffodils.
The daylily garden, blooming in July, showcases over 100 species arranged by age and region.
7. Botanischer Garten Krefeld
Additional horticultural offerings can be found at Krefeld’s botanical garden in the Oppum district.
Since its inception in 1928, the garden now features 5,000 species across a 3.6-hectare area.
In addition to native plants, visitors can find rare cacti, carnivorous plants, a vegetable garden, and a rose garden boasting 3,000 bushes.
The cacti are housed in a greenhouse that is open from May to October.
Also of note is the apothecary garden, comprising 100 herbs used in teas and historical or modern medicine, complete with informative signage detailing their chemical properties and effects on the human body.
A selection of labeled poisonous plants is also present in this unique garden.
8. Haus der Seidenkultur
Located at Luisenstraße 15, this museum offers an in-depth look at Krefeld’s silk and velvet manufacturing industries.
The building previously housed a workshop where liturgical garments were woven from Chinese and Italian silk yarns for over a century.
The museum retains eight hand-operated Jacquard looms from the 1800s, showcasing a craft that has largely become obsolete.
The exquisitely woven vestments created by the workshop are displayed in this attractive Historicist house constructed in 1868. The structure features two entrances side by side, one designated for customers and the other for employees.
9. Zoo Krefeld
Krefeld’s zoo, established in 1938, is the city’s most frequented attraction, drawing over half a million visitors annually.
The zoo’s habitats are primarily indoors, creating environments that closely simulate the animals’ natural settings.
This approach is evident in the Affentropenhaus, home to orangutans and chimpanzees, where exotic bird species also reside.
Unique to the Lower Rhine is the Schmetterlingsdschungel butterfly house, where 200 butterfly species flutter in a tropical setting.
Indoor displays include the Regenwaldhaus, featuring wooden walkways through a jungle setting inhabited by iguanas, birds, and monkeys such as white-faced sakis.
Outdoors, the zoo offers a large savannah habitat for African ostriches, antelopes, and rhinoceroses, in addition to enclosures for tigers, snow leopards, and jaguars.
10. Stadtwald
The roots of Krefeld’s city forest date back a century to silk manufacturer Wilhelm Deuß, who donated land to facilitate a recreational area for the city’s labor force.
During the summer months, this expansive 120-hectare park offers a myriad of activities.
The Stadtpark features a large, winding pond bordered by a walking path, along with a rental station for pedal boats.
Visitors can also find a wide range of sports facilities, including tennis and squash courts as well as full-sized football pitches.
The highlight of the park is the Stadtwaldhaus, an exquisite Art Nouveau structure, which boasts one of the largest beer gardens outside Bavaria, accommodating over 3,000 guests.
11. Kulturfabrik Krefeld (KuFa)
Kulturfabrik Krefeld serves as a vibrant performing arts venue, housed within a repurposed factory.
The venue hosts a diverse array of performances, including theater, comedy, cabaret, and concerts by both solo artists and bands, with two halls accommodating up to 1,350 spectators combined. Additionally, Kulturfabrik orchestrates club nights featuring genres ranging from 90s nostalgia to electronic, rock, and industrial music.
Seasonal events also occur, ranging from festive parties for Christmas and Halloween to Oktoberfest celebrations.
12. Hülser Berg
In the northwestern part of Krefeld, the landscape becomes more sparse, with this area chosen post-war as a site to deposit rubble from bombed buildings.
This rubble was accumulated to form Kapuzinerberg and Inrather Berg, notable for their unusual, abrupt elevations of 77 and 87 meters, respectively.
Hülser Berg, Krefeld’s tallest natural hill, features a 30-meter observation tower, the Johannesturm, which provides unhindered views of the Rhine Valley and westward toward the Ruhr.
The park in this area also includes enclosures for goats, fallow deer, and red deer, a playground for children, and an educational trail that explores local wildlife.
13. Weinbrennerei Dujardin
In Uerdingen by the Rhine, one can find a brandy distillery steeped in history from Napoleon’s occupation of the region at the start of the 19th century.
Subsequently, following the Franco-Prussian War, the Melchers family, who owned the distillery, began sourcing ingredients from the Dujardin family in Cognac, establishing a cross-border enterprise.
While production has since moved away from this site, vintage copper stills, vast 9,000-litre barrels, and a collection of century-old bottles remain for viewing.
Guided tours of the attractive brick industrial buildings are available on weekends, during which participants receive a glass of the local brandy.
14. Villa Merländer
Situated at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 42, Villa Merländer was once the residence of Krefeld silk merchant Richard Merländer, born in Mülheim in 1874. His Jewish identity and sexual orientation led to persecution during the Nazi regime, compelling him to sell his business and properties at undervalued rates in the 1930s.
Duriing the war, he was deported to Treblinka, where he was murdered in 1942. The house functioned as a hotel until 1989, after which it was purchased by the city and restored to its former appearance, now serving as a memorial for Krefeld’s Holocaust victims.
Plaques honoring Richard and his brother Karl are displayed outside, while the interior features the only known murals by Expressionist artist Heinrich Campendonk.
This building now hosts the cultural department of Krefeld.
15. Days Out
The conurbation in North Rhine-Westphalia is compact enough that within half an hour one can reach various exciting destinations.
Krefeld is connected to the Düsseldorf Stadtbahn, making it easily accessible by the U76 line for those without a vehicle. Visitors can indulge in elegant shopping along the luxurious Königsallee or enjoy a glass of local Altbier at a bar located in the world-famous Altstadt.
If Krefeld’s industrial past interests you, Duisburg is just a 25-minute commuter train ride away.
The largest inland port globally is ideal for a boat tour, while the revitalized Inner Harbour features massive granaries converted into art galleries and museums.
