“Always a bit behind the beat, dragging rather than going” – sings songwriter Philipp Eisenblätter about Duisburg in his song, a declaration of love for his hometown. But even if your heart does not beat there and you are one of those who have moved there or are just planning to move there, you can learn to appreciate and love this Ruhr city.
1. Duisburg is built close to the water
In the city of steel, the Ruhr flows into the Rhine. Europe’s largest inland port was built here. It is not only of economic importance, but also has a beautiful view, especially of the inner harbour near the city centre at night.
2. Duisburg is green
Grey like steel and concrete? That’s certainly not Duisburg. More than ten percent of the city’s area is covered by forests. Whether the 600-hectare city forest or the RheinPark, which is more dominated by industry, Duisburg is green and thriving.
3. Duisburg is a quiet city
Standing in line outside a club, at the supermarket checkout or in line for a seat in a restaurant? This rarely happens in Duisburg. This is due to the continuing decline in the population, but is beneficial for the residents.
4. Duisburg is affordable
Average rents of less than six euros per square metre? Cities like Hamburg, Munich or Düsseldorf can only dream of that. In Duisburg, it’s a reality.
5. Duisburg is changing and developing
Whether as part of the European Capital of Culture or in the process of transforming into a “Smart City”, Duisburg is in constant motion and you can be sure that this is not the end of the story.
“Smoky chimneys”, which Eisenblätter also sings about in his song, belong largely to the steelworks. Around 15 million tonnes of this material are produced in Duisburg every year. This makes the city Europe’s number one location for the steel industry. Companies such as ThyssenKrupp Stahl AG and Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann GmbH have helped to shape the face of Duisburg.
