Why visit Essen
Townapedia lists 192 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 195 places to eat, 31 places to stay and 25 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Colosseum Theater, Astra-Kino, Deutschlandhaus and Haus der Technik.
Weather in Essen
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Essen
Essen (German pronunciation: [ˈɛsn̩] ) is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of 573,618 makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, as well as the tenth-largest city of Germany. Essen lies in the larger Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, second largest by GDP in the EU, and is part of the cultural area of Rhineland. Due to its central location in the Ruhr, Essen is often regarded as the Ruhr's "secret capital".
From the Wikipedia article Essen (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Essen on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do25
Das Kleine Theater Essen
Cinema and theater
German private theater based in Essen, Northrhine-Westphalia
42 Gänsemarkt, Essen
Grillo-Theater
Cinema and theater
Theatre in Essen, Germany, used by the municipal drama company
11 Theaterplatz, Essen
Aalto Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.1 km
Opera house in Essen, Germany
Freilichtbühne Mülheim an der Ruhr
Cinema and theater · 9.6 km
Amphitheatre located in Germany
Metronom Theater
Cinema and theater · 9.6 km
Theater in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Musiktheater im Revier
Cinema and theater · 8.4 km
Opera house in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
13 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks192
Salomon Ludwig Steinheim-Institut für deutsch-jüdische Geschichte an der Universität Duisburg-Essen
Monument and historic site
Ehemalige Rabbinerhaus
2 Edmund-Körner-Platz, Essen
Baedeker-Haus
Monument and historic site
33-35 Kettwiger Straße, Essen
Lichtburggebäude
Monument and historic site
36 Kettwiger Straße, Essen
Postbank-Hochhaus
Monument and historic site · 0.7 km
2 Kruppstraße, Essen
LVR-Industriemuseum
Museum · 11.5 km
Decentral organized Industry Museum in Germany's Rhineland Area with seven locations.
Montagsloch
Monument and historic site · 3.8 km
Memorial in Essen, Germany
180 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
Duisburg Zoo
Park · 14.5 km
Zoo in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
ZOOM Erlebniswelt
Park · 11.9 km
Zoological garden in Gelsenkirchen, in Germany
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes195
Unperfekthaus
Restaurant
18 Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, Essen
Mo-Th 09:00-22:00; Fr 09:00-23:00; Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop
2 - 10 Kettwiger Straße, Essen
Mo-Fr 07:00-20:30, Sa 08:00-20:30, Su 10:00-19:00
Bella India
Restaurant · Indian, Italian · 0.8 km
77-83 Steeler Straße, Essen
Mo-Fr 11:30-21:00 || "Sa, Su nach Vereinbarung"
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Hoi An
Restaurant · Asian
4 Frohnhauser Straße, Essen
Mo-Fr 11:30-15:00,17:30-21:30; Su 14:00-21:30; Sa off
La Grappa
Restaurant · Italian · 0.8 km
4 Rellinghauser Straße, Essen
Mo-Fr 11:30-14:30, Mo-Sa 17:30-23:30
183 more on the map.
Where to stay31
Churches and places of worship13
St. Johann Baptist (Essen)
Church · Roman Catholic
An St. Quintin, Essen
Freie evangelische Gemeinde Essen-Mitte
Church · Protestant
32 Hofterbergstraße, Essen
Shopping47
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries32
Rober-Schuman-Berufskolleg für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung der Stadt Essen
School · 1.1 km
27 Sachsenstraße, Essen
Healthcare8
Map of Essen
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Flughafen Essen-Mülheim (ESS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 km away.
- Gelsenkirchen 8 km northeast, about 8 min by car
- Oberhausen 11 km west, about 11 min by car
- Herne 17 km northeast, about 17 min by car
- Recklinghausen 22 km northeast, about 22 min by car
- Wuppertal 24 km southeast, about 24 min by car
- Moers 26 km west, about 26 min by car
- Solingen 32 km south, about 32 min by car
- Hagen 34 km east, about 34 min by car
- Remscheid 33 km south, about 33 min by car
- Krefeld 34 km southwest, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Aerial view of Essen, Drdavid41, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Essen, Kettwiger Straße und Marktkirche, Dguendel, CC BY 3.0
- Riesenrad Essen-Mitte, 21.12.13 - panoramio, Sebastian “sebrem” B…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen, Ecke Am Hauptbahnhof-Hachestraße 1970 (2), Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, Eickhaus 1970, Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, kepa kaufhaus 1970, Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, Ecke Am Hauptbahnhof-Hachestraße 1970, Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, Am Hauptbahnhof 1970 (5), Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, Am Hauptbahnhof 1970 (4), Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen, Fassade ARWA film palette 1970, Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Essen St Johann Baptist 2011-10, Matthias Nonnenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Essen - Alfred-Krupp-Denkmal vor der Marktkirche (49383984957), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen - Alfred-Krupp-Denkmal vor der Marktkirche (49383321568), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen. Markt (15264086990), photobeppus, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Essen (15447772741), photobeppus, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383786746), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383984052), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Weihnachtsmarkt Essen-Mitte, 21.12.13 - panoramio, Sebastian “sebrem” B…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marktkirche-Essen-2013, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen Light Festival 2019, Jellyworld, Wiki05, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Essen-Weihnachtsmarkt2024-4-Asio, Asio otus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen-Weihnachtsmarkt2024-5-Asio, Asio otus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen (15427925586), photobeppus, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383786611), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383983887), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383320323), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Essen - Essener Dom (49383786551), Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Lights at Essen christmas market (14543333375), Hauke Musicaloris, CC BY 2.0
- Essen-Weihnachtsmarkt2024-3-Asio, Asio otus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kirchenmaus im Essener Dom -1, Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kirchenmaus im Essener Dom -2, Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Essen. The Cathedral (15264506948), photobeppus, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Essen (15324865505), photobeppus, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Colosseum Theater Essen 2011, Wiki05, CC0
- Kleines Theater Essen Gaensemarkt, Kungfuman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grillo-Theater-2012, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Aalto-Theater-Abends-02-2014, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Freilichtbühne, Ruesterstaude, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Neue Mitte Oberhausen - Kino und Metronom Theater, Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MiR außen ganz, MiR Gelsenkirchen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rheinisches Industriemuseum, Daniel Ullrich, Threedots, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Montagsloch Essen, Grugapark 02, Wiki05, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mülheim an der Ruhr, Camera Obscura, 2011-03 CN-01, kaʁstn Disk / Cat, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Netzgiraffen - Reticulated giraffe - Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata, Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grugapark Essen, Wiki05, CC0
- Gelsenkirchen - Nordsternpark - Kohlenbunker+Bandbrücke+Kohlenmischanlage (Pyramide) 03 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gelsenkirchen - Zoom - Afrika - African Queen 06 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen 2011 48, Gryffindor, Public domain
- Essen Kloster Werden Innenhof 2 2005, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bochum Technische Fachhochschule Georg Agricola, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dom-Essen-mit-Burgplatz-und-Rathaus-2016, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Universität Duisburg Essen, Wiki05, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ALDI Woerden 02, Onderwijsgek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kennedyplatz, Essen 06, Wiki05, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Essener Hof, Wiki05, Public domain
- Domschatzkammer mit neuem Anbau, Abbatissa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Limbecker Platz Luftaufnahme Blickrichtung Ost 2014, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Postbank-Hochhaus-Essen-Abend-2013, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Unperfekthaus in Essen, von Westen, Wiegels, CC BY 3.0
- Burgplatz Essen mit VHS 2011, Wiki05, CC0
- Essen, Lichtburg, Wiki05, CC0
- HugoKuekelhausBK, Rene scaunce, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stadtbibliothek Essen, No machine-readable author provided. Baikonur assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cinemaxx Essen, Kungfuman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen-Stadtkern, Alfred-Herrhausen-Brücke am Waldthausenpark, Wiki05, CC0
- Deutschlandhaus Essen Jacob Koerfer 1928, Jesse Krauß, Public domain
- Haus der Technik Essen, No machine-readable author provided. Baikonur assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alte Synagoge, Essen, Garver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baedekerhaus Essen, Wiki05, CC0
- Essen Lichtburg 1, Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0
- Essen, Jahrhundertbrunnen2, Wiki05, CC0
- Hotel Handelshof Essen, Baikonur, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marktkirche Essen-Stadtkern, USt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Essen 2011 66, Gryffindor, Public domain
- Kreuzeskirche Essen-Stadtmitte, Wiki05, Public domain
- Altkath. Kirche Essen, Wiki05, Public domain
- Street-level photo, noel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, geogladbecker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, geogladbecker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, trustno1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, dsmm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, jakre73, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, hiwi234, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, StefanS79, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, hiwi234, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, TechniPorter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, TechniPorter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, heetENkoel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, dsmm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, dsmm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, geogladbecker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, StefanS79, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, geogladbecker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, StefanS79, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, geogladbecker, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, TechniPorter, CC BY-SA 4.0
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