Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in the northwestern part of Germany.
It is a result of a 1929 merger of the erstwhile independent cities Barmen and Elberfeld. Despite the young age of the city, the history of the settlement along the river "Wupper" goes back to 1161. "Elberfeld" was first mentioned in official documents as an estate of the archbishop of Cologne and received its town charter in 1610. "Barmen" was charted in 1808. Barmen is also notable as the birthplace of Friedrich Engels, best friend, financier and confidante of Karl Marx (who was born in Trier) and co-author of the communist manifesto. While some other city mergers in Germany haven't gone over well with the locals, the parts of Wuppertal feel much like a coherent whole these days, in part aided by the suspension railway ("Schwebebahn") that serves both parts and predates the merger.
Wuppertal as a whole - as opposed to its constituent parts Barmen and Elberfeld - is probably best know for its pioneering urban transit system, the Schwebebahn which its designer Eugene Langen tried to sell around the world but had few takers outside Wuppertal. A much shorter route exists in Dresden and was also built during Langen's lifetime.
- Die Hardt. A nice wide park on a hill in the heart of Wuppertal. On the park area there is also the Botanischer Garten (botanical garden).
- Wuppertaler Zoo, Hubertusallee 30, +49 202 5633600.
- Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal. Nowadays the Stadthalle is a concert hall, host to many cultural events.
- Engels Haus. Friedrich Engels is perhaps one of Barmen's most famous sons. He was not born in this house (the actual birth house some 100 meters away did not survive the war) but he did grow up here and his father was born here. While Trier has learned to make their native son Karl Marx into a tourism attraction, the co-founder of Marxism and Marx's long-time financier and best friend does not have the name recognition (it's not "Engelsism", after all) and Wuppertal has thus far failed to really market its connection to the son of a cotton manufacturer born in 1820.
- Museum für Frühindustrialisierung, Engelsstr. 10-18 1. Even though it costs money to get in (€4 for adults), it's worth a visit because they let one help operate one of the antique machines. The signs are only in German, so if you don't speak it, you might want to bring a native speaker or see ahead of time whether they have audio tours, or English speakers working at the museum.
Die Hardt. A nice wide park on a hill in the heart of Wuppertal. On the park area there is also the Botanischer Garten (botanical garden).
Wuppertaler Zoo, Hubertusallee 30, +49 202 5633600.
Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal. Nowadays the Stadthalle is a concert hall, host to many cultural events.
Engels Haus. Friedrich Engels is perhaps one of Barmen's most famous sons. He was not born in this house (the actual birth house some 100 meters away did not survive the war) but he did grow up here and his father was born here. While [[Trier]] has learned to make their native son Karl Marx into a tourism attraction, the co-founder of Marxism and Marx's long-time financier and best friend does not have the name recognition (it's not "Engelsism", after all) and Wuppertal has thus far failed to really market its connection to the son of a cotton manufacturer born in 1820.
Museum für Frühindustrialisierung, Engelsstr. 10-18 1. Even though it costs money to get in (€4 for adults), it's worth a visit because they let one help operate one of the antique machines. The signs are only in German, so if you don't speak it, you might want to bring a native speaker or see ahead of time whether they have audio tours, or English speakers working at the museum.
- Bergische Museumbahnen, Kohlfurth district of Wuppertal. The museum provides rides on old trams over its 2.8km, metre gauge line that runs through a wooded area.
- Lange Tafel. The Lange Tafel is an outdoor event where several Wuppertal cafes and bars offer their beverages and food lined up in a long row under the Schwebebahn.
Bergische Museumbahnen, Kohlfurth district of Wuppertal. The museum provides rides on old trams over its 2.8km, metre gauge line that runs through a wooded area.
Lange Tafel. The Lange Tafel is an outdoor event where several Wuppertal cafes and bars offer their beverages and food lined up in a long row under the Schwebebahn.
If you want to go shopping, then the Old Town or now center of Elberfeld will probably be the best place to go, since it offers the widest range of different stores in Wuppertal.
- Vohwinkeler Flohmarkt.
Vohwinkeler Flohmarkt.
If you want to go out, then the Luisenviertel is probably a nice place to go. The Luisenviertel is part of the Old Town of Elberfeld and hosts a wide range of nice cafes and some restaurants. The most famous one is Katzengold.
- Katzengold, Untergrünewalder Straße 3.
- Wuppertaler Brauhaus, Kleine Flurstr. 5. Daily 11:00-23:00 or later. Try the Wuppertaler Brauhaus-Fritten and the spare ribs. Also the Pork Knuckle is superb if you like dark pork meat. Look in the "from the oven" section of the menu. Wash down with the in-house 'Dunkel' or Brauhaus Weisen. The atmosphere here is superb, there's live music most nights. The building is the old 19th-century swimming pool (hall). You'll need hollow legs to eat their mixed grill!
- Odysseus Grill, Gathe 67, 42107 W.Elberfeld (5 min.walk from the city center towards Morianstr., +49 202-442246. 17:30-24:00, Monday closed. A nice cosy Greek tavern with good food and friendly staff 10-15pp.
Katzengold, Untergrünewalder Straße 3.
Wuppertaler Brauhaus, Kleine Flurstr. 5. Daily 11:00-23:00 or later. Try the Wuppertaler Brauhaus-Fritten and the spare ribs. Also the Pork Knuckle is superb if you like dark pork meat. Look in the "from the oven" section of the menu. Wash down with the in-house 'Dunkel' or Brauhaus Weisen. The atmosphere here is superb, there's live music most nights. The building is the old 19th-century swimming pool (hall). You'll need hollow legs to eat their mixed grill!
Odysseus Grill, Gathe 67, 42107 W.Elberfeld (5 min.walk from the city center towards Morianstr., +49 202-442246. 17:30-24:00, Monday closed. A nice cosy Greek tavern with good food and friendly staff 10-15pp.
Like most German cities, Wuppertal brews a local beer exclusive to the city. The Wupper Hell and the Wupper Dunkel can only be enjoyed in the Wuppertaler Brauhaus, a former swimming pool converted into a modern brewery in Barmen, close to the city center.
- Ronsdorfer Talsperre. Take a walk around the historical dam.
- Düsseldorf
Ronsdorfer Talsperre. Take a walk around the historical dam.