Emmerich am Rhein ( Low Rhenish and nl, Emmerik) is a city and municipality in the northwest of the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

federal state A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-governi ...

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...

. The city has a harbour and a quay at the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

. In terms of local government organization, it is a medium-sized city belonging to the

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

Kleve Kleve (; traditional en, Cleves ; nl, Kleef; french: Clèves; es, Cléveris; la, Clivia; Low Rhenish: ''Kleff'') is a town in the Lower Rhine region of northwestern Germany near the Dutch border and the River Rhine. From the 11th century ...

in the

administrative region Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

(''Regierungsbezirk'') of

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

Geography

Emmerich lies on the north bank of the Rhine, just within the German borders; it is only 4 km to the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

to the north and 5 km to the west. Therefore, it is the last German town on the Rhine before the river flows into the Netherlands.

Villages belonging to Emmerich am Rhein

The populated places which comprise the municipality of Emmerich am Rhein are Emmerich, Borghees, Dornick, Elten, Hüthum, Klein-Netterden, Leegmeer, Praest, Speelberg and Vrasselt.

Neighboring municipalities and cities

To the north, the municipality of Emmerich borders the Dutch municipalities

Montferland Montferland () is a municipality in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It was created on 1 January 2005 from the amalgamation of the former municipalities of Bergh and Didam. Population centres Formerly part of Bergh municipality: * Azewijn *B ...

Oude IJsselstreek Oude IJsselstreek () is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands. It was established on 1 January 2005 through a merger of the former municipalities Gendringen and Wisch. Geography and population centres The municipality belongs to the transit ...

and 's-Heerenberg; all of which are in the Dutch province of

Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...

. To the east, it is bordered by the German city of Rees. To the south, it is bordered by the Rhine, and south of this river, by the German city of

. To the west, it is bordered by the Dutch municipalities of

Rijnwaarden Rijnwaarden () was a municipality in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands. The Rhine enters the Netherlands at its location. Rijnwaarden was merged into the municipality of Zevenaar on 1 January 2018. Population centres * Aerdt ...

and

Zevenaar Zevenaar () is a municipality and a city in the Gelderland province, in the eastern Netherlands near the border with Germany. Population centres * Angerlo * Babberich * Giesbeek * Lathum *Ooy * Oud-Zevenaar *Zevenaar History The earliest signs ...

, both of which are also in the Dutch province of

History

Emmerich, formerly called ''Embrika'' and ''Emrik'', was originally a Roman colony. Around the year 700

Saint Willibrord Willibrord (; 658 – 7 November AD 739) was an Anglo-Saxon missionary and saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands. He became the first bishop of Utrecht and died at Echternach, Luxembourg. Early life His fath ...

founded the mission "Emmerich" in the

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...

diocese. The oldest documented name is ''Villa Embrici'', which survives from the year 828. Jan van der Heyden (Attr

The collegiate church ''St. Martinikirche'' was constructed in 1040. On 31 May 1233 Count Otto von Zutphen and Gelder arose to the royalty of the prosperous city with the authorization of the Roman Emperor Frederick II and the German King Henry (VII) Emmerich. In 1371 it fell to the

Duchy of Cleves The Duchy of Cleves (german: Herzogtum Kleve; nl, Hertogdom Kleef) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire which emerged from the medieval . It was situated in the northern Rhineland on both sides of the Lower Rhine, around its capital Cleves and ...

, and passed with it in 1609 to the

Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg (german: link=no, Markgrafschaft Brandenburg) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe. Brandenburg developed out o ...

. The town joined the

Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label=Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German to ...

in 1407. In 1794 it was bombarded by the French under General Vandamme, and in 1806 it was assigned to the

Duchy of Berg Berg was a state—originally a county, later a duchy—in the Rhineland of Germany. Its capital was Düsseldorf. It existed as a distinct political entity from the early 12th to the 19th centuries. The name of the county lives on in the modern ...

. It passed into the possession of

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...

in 1815. In 1856 the railway section

Oberhausen Oberhausen (, ) is a city on the river Emscher in the Ruhr Area, Germany, located between Duisburg and Essen ( ). The city hosts the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and its Gasometer Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Rout ...

Arnhem Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both banks of ...

, of the

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

Minden Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...

er Railway was opened. Emmerich was 91% destroyed on 7 October 1944 as a

strategic bombing Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in total war with the goal of defeating the enemy by destroying its morale, its economic ability to produce and transport materiel to the theatres of military operations, or both. It is a systematica ...

target of the Oil Campaign of World War II. In 1949, Elten was annexed by the Netherlands until 1963. Since 1 February 2001 the city has officially been called ''Emmerich am Rhein'', until then it was simply ''Emmerich''. On 28 November 2004 the four Catholic congregations of the city (St. Martini, St. Aldegundis, Heilig-Geist and Liebfrauen) combined to form the new city parish St. Christophorus.

Municipality and county reform

As a part of the 1st municipal restructuring program, the municipalities of ''Borghees, Dornick, Hüthum, Klein-Netterden, Praest'' and ''Vrasselt'' were integrated into the city of Emmerich on 1 July 1969. In the course of the 2nd restructuring program, the municipality of ''Elten'' was integrated as well, on 1 January 1975.

Places of interest

Rhine Promenade. Emmerich's Rhine promenade is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, offering peaceful views across the Rhine river and Emmerich's iconic Rhine Bridge. Having undergone a complete refurbishment between 2003 - 2007, the 1 km long promenade also boasts a variety of restaurants, coffee shops and the Rheinpark with its playground. Geistmarkt and Farmer's Market. Located in close proximity to the Rhine Promenade is the Geistmarkt, which hosts Emmerich's Farmer's Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Shoppers have a wide choice of fresh produce ranging from vegetables, fruits, fresh fish, meat, antipasti as well as flowers. Steinstraße. Running adjacent to the Rhine Promenade, the Steinstraße is Emmerich's main shopping mile, boasting a number of shops. Recent refurbishments have also opened up opportunities for new business ventures that are looking for a new HQ. Kaßstraße. Shoppers who are looking for additional shops and eateries can explore the Kaßstraße, which is a mere 5 minute walk from the Steinstraße. Rhine Museum. In the Rhine Museum, 130 ship models are exhibited, as well as a radar unit, examples of fish

taxidermy Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proce ...

, maps of the Rhine, a historic Christophorus figurine and a library of the city's history. In addition there is a Biber submarine, a one-man

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

from

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and exhibitions regarding shipping on the Rhine, the history of the city and fisheries. PAN-Art Forum/Poster Museum. The famous poster collection is displayed in the former Lohmann chocolate factory in rotating exhibits. Aero Club Emmerich e.V.. Aviation fans and adrenalin junkies are encouraged to visit Emmerich's aero glider club
Aero Club Emmerich e.V.
Holy Ghost Church This Catholic church was built in 1966 and is especially striking due to its version of the

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

made of scrap metal and the Stations of the Cross made of linen. The architectural development during the time of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...

shaped the design of the church. Emmerich am Rhein Christuskirche

Rhine Bridge This bridge, which connects Emmerich on the north of the Rhine with

on the south, was opened in 1965, and with a length of 803 meters and a

span Span may refer to: Science, technology and engineering * Span (unit), the width of a human hand * Span (engineering), a section between two intermediate supports * Wingspan, the distance between the wingtips of a bird or aircraft * Sorbitan ester ...

of 500 meters it is the longest suspension bridge in Germany. Approximately 500 ships pass underneath it every day. Castle Borghees. The manor house Borghees used as a cultural center was expanded in its present form in the mid-18th century. Borghees Castle became historically well known due to a love affair of the 17-year-old Katharina Rickers, the later imperial countess of Wartenberg, with the Prussian king Friedrich I.

Transport

Railways

Emmerich station Emmerich (german: Bahnhof Emmerich) is a railway station in Emmerich am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Station Emmerich station is the German railway station closest to the Dutch border on the Arnhem-Oberhausen railway. It is serv ...

is located about 1 km southeast of the city center on the double-track electrified " Holland Route," which plays an important role in passenger travel and commercial transport and is therefore treated in the EU as a part of the Trans-European Network in the category "priority projects which should be begun before 2010." In addition to the

ICE Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaqu ...

International from

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

, the night train CityNightLine to southern Germany,

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

and to

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

travels through here with a stop in Emmerich. With regards to regional rail transport, the following trains pass through Emmerich, in general every hour: *the

Rhein-Express The Rhein-Express is a Regional-Express (RE 5 (RRX)) service, which generally follows the Rhine (german: Rhein) river. It runs daily every hour from 5 am to 9 pm from Wesel via Oberhausen, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, Remagen and A ...

(RE5) from Emmerich to

Koblenz Koblenz (; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz''), spelled Coblenz before 1926, is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multi-nation tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman mili ...

and *the Regional Train ''Der Weseler'' (RB35) from Emmerich to Duisburg, and at rush hour to Düsseldorf. Emmerich am Rhein PAN-Forum

There is another station located on the same line near Emmerich, the stop ''Praest'', which is only served by the Regional Train ''Der Weseler'' (RB 35).

Roads

Emmerich lies on the A3 motorway (known in German as the

Bundesautobahn 3 is an autobahn in Germany running from the Germany-Netherlands border near Wesel in the northwest to the Germany-Austria border near Passau. Major cities along its total length of 778 km (483 mi) include Oberhausen, Duisburg, Düsse ...

), which has the European designation E35. It also lies on the B8 (the Bundesstrasse 8) and the B220.

Inland waterways

* The

* The Municipal Rhine Harbour of Emmerich

Notable people

Wilhelm Normann Wilhelm Normann (16 January 1870, in Petershagen – 1 May 1939, in Chemnitz) (sometimes also spelled ''Norman'') was a German chemist who introduced the hydrogenation of fats in 1901, creating what later became known as trans fats. This inventi ...

, the inventor of fat hardening by hydrogenation * Albrecht Wolters (1822–1878), German Protestant theologian *

Anton de Waal Anton Joseph Johann Maria de Waal (5 May 1837 - 23 February 1917) was a German Empire, German Christian archeology, Christian archeologist and Roman Catholic church historian. He established the Collegio Teutonico del Campo Santo and carried out n ...

(1837–1917), German Catholic priest, prelate, historian and author * Friedrich Wilhelm Franz Nippold (1838–1918), German Protestant theologian * Ernst Heinrich Göring (1839–1913), German jurist, Reichkommissar for German South-West Africa, father of the national socialist politician

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...

* Ernst Diehl (1874–1947), German classical philologist and epigraph *

Karl Scheele Carl Wilhelm Scheele (, ; 9 December 1742 – 21 May 1786) was a Swedish German pharmaceutical chemist. Scheele discovered oxygen (although Joseph Priestley published his findings first), and identified molybdenum, tungsten, barium, hydro ...

(1884–1966), German surgeon *Eugen Reintjes (1884–1966), promotion of sport and health, Eugen Reintjes Stadion * Eduard Künneke (1885–1953), German operetta composer * Werner Müller (1907–1990), German ethnologist * Ernst van Aaken (1910–1984), German sports physician and coach * Gottfried Wolters (1910–1989), composer and choral leader * Rainer Bonhof (born 1952), former Dutch-German footballer for the German national team * Ulrich Surau (born 1952), German footballer * Alexander Müller (born 1979), German racing driver *

Nico Hülkenberg Nicolas Hülkenberg (, born 19 August 1987) is a German professional racing driver who is scheduled to make a full-time racing return to Formula 1 with Haas F1 Team in 2023, after serving as a reserve driver for Aston Martin F1 Team for the ye ...

(born 1987), Formula 1 racing driver, 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 2009 GP 2 champion *

Robin Gosens Robin Everardus Gosens (born 5 July 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a left midfielder or left-back for club Inter Milan and the Germany national team. Club career Vitesse Born in Emmerich am Rhein, Gosens appeared for lo ...

(born 1994), German footballer

Twin towns – sister cities

Emmerich am Rhein is twinned with: *

King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...

, England, United Kingdom (1978) *

Šilutė Šilutė (, previously ''Šilokarčiama'', german: link=no, Heydekrug), is a city in the south of the Klaipėda County, Lithuania. The city was part of the Klaipėda Region and ethnographic Lithuania Minor. Šilutė was the interwar capital of ...

, Lithuania (1990) * Kirkland, Washington, United States (1995)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Emmerich Am Rhein Populated places on the Rhine Kleve (district) Members of the Hanseatic League Districts of the Rhine Province Germany–Netherlands border crossings