Essen Sights

  1. Abteikirche St Liudger

    Werden's main sight is the 1175 Abteikirche St Liudger, a beautiful late-Romanesque church named for the Frisian missionary buried here. It has an impressive exterior as well as a commendable treasury (around €2 ).

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  2. Alte Synagoge

    East of the medieval Dom, the Alte Synagoge is Germany's largest synagogue and miraculously survived WWII largely intact. Today it's a memorial site with exhibits on Jewish life, persecution and resistance during the Third Reich.

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  3. Baldeneysee Seaside Beach

    South of the city centre is Essen's sprawling green belt, which follows the flow of the Ruhr River to the large Baldeneysee. It's not quite the Med, but on hot summer days there's an undeniable holiday feeling at the Baldeneysee Seaside Beach, a 250m-long stretch of sand where you can swim, windsurf and play beach volleyball.

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  4. Dom

    Essen's medieval Dom is an island of quiet engulfed by the commercialism of pedestrianised Kettwiger Strasse, the main shopping strip. It has a magnificent collection of Ottonian works, all about 1000 years old. Most prized is the Golden Madonna, set in its own midnight-blue chapel matching the colour of her eyes. More highlights await in the treasury.

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  5. Dom Treasury

    Essen's medieval Dom boasts a treasury which includes a crown worn by Holy Roman Emperor Otto III and gemstone-encrusted processional crosses.

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  7. Essen Cathedral

    Essen's medieval cathedral (Dom) is an island of quiet engulfed by the commercialism of pedestrianised Kettwiger Strasse, the main shopping strip. It has a magnificent collection of Ottonian works, all about 1000 years old. Most prized is the Golden Madonna, set in its own midnight-blue chapel that matches the colour of her eyes.

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  9. Ruhrlandmuseum

    This is a traditional regional history museum with some fascinating displays. In late 2007, a completely revamped presentation is expected to open in the former coal wash-house in the Zollverein complex, rebaptised as the Ruhrmuseum.

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  10. Zollverein Colliery Complex

    This key site along the Industrial Heritage Trail was once a marvel of efficiency in operation between 1932-86. In 2001 Unesco declared the Bauhaus-style colliery a World Heritage Site. In a shining example of how to recycle an industrial waste heap, it is now a lively cultural centre. In winter, you can ice skate around the coking plant.

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