Krefeld: Velvet and Silk City

Krefeld was founded by the Romans, who established a camp called Gelduba in these parts. Historians have found that it was located on the territory of Gellep-Stratum district. The town was first mentioned in 1105 under the name Krinvelde in chronicles. Over centuries, the neighbouring Uerdingen became richer and larger, but after the Thirty Years’ War Krefeld began to develop rapidly and eventually "absorbed" the neighbor.

Krefeld is called the city of velvet and silk (Stadt wie Samt und Seide) due to the large number of factories that were founded here during the industry development and the textile boom in Europe. The monument to weaver from Krefeld called Meister Ponzelar and the survived factory buildings today remind about that era. You can learn more about how and why Krefeld became a center of weaving and the place where the European elite loved to dress up in the German Textile Museum (Deutsche Textil Museum).

Despite the fact that Krefeld is a self-sufficient city, the menus in its restaurants are dominated by the same dishes as in the restaurants in Düsseldorf and Cologne. It is the impact of the proximity of these big neighbors. In addition to the standard offerings of Sauerbraten beef sausages (here they are always sweeter than in other parts of the country, as they are prepared with raisins and cock) with stewed cabbage and Altbier fresh beer, Westphalian ham (Westfälischer Schinken) is very popular. The ham ripens for a few weeks before being served: the meat is salted, dried and then cold-smoked, which gives the meat very delicate flavor. The dish called Heaven and Earth (Himmel und Erde) stands out from among the many potato dishes. Mashed potatoes get the role of the earth on the plate, while the apple sauce is the sky. By the way, apples have been the most popular fruit in North Rhine - Westphalia since long ago. In order to understand which dessert has been the most popular for centuries even among the poorest local people, you need to find and taste homemade apple sauce - Apfelkraut. It is made of apples and pears adding a little sugar. Traditionally, this sauce is spread here on a slice of Pumpernickel – rough rye bread. That is a real taste of the local cuisine!

The ancient Linn Castle (Burg Linn) is considered Krefeld’s main attraction. Today the castle houses a solid collection of art, archaeological finds and features solid interior. But it’s worth a visit not only for seeing the interiors: it is necessary to climb to the donjon of the castle offering beautiful views of the surrounding area. Greiffenhorst hunting lodge is near Linn Castle. From there, too, nice views of the surrounding hills and meadows open and often interesting concerts are held there. It is pleasant to take a break from the city bustle and relax in the local botanical garden. At any time of the year something flourishes in it and the atmosphere is so pacified that you want to stay there. Unity with nature awaits those who go to Mount Hulser (Hülser Berg), where the witch and even gnomes once lived, and which is now inhabited by deer, foxes, badgers and other forest animals. This is a large and well maintained urban forest, which is pleasant to walk in, picnic, and play sports. You should not forget that Germany’s biggest river, the Rhine, runs through Krefeld. So spend a few hours in the water or take a ride on the boat, enjoying the scenery of the Rhine - it's a great idea!

The central event in Krefeld’s cultural and entertainment life is Krefeld Fashionworld fashion holiday organized in September on the central squares and streets that brings together a huge number of guests. This festival is the world's largest fashion show in the open air. Both beginners and successful fashion designers come to participate in it: fashion shows follow one after another, famous pop groups give concerts in the evening and restaurants are packed to capacity at this time. Germany’s largest Flax Market is another big event in Krefeld. It always begins on the Trinity Sunday (ie, in about mid-June). It brings together a huge amount of people, so it is best to come since morning to participate in the opening. Horseback tournaments and knights battles, which are always very impressive for children, are held within the frames of the market.

The city is also famous for the multitude of summer festivals with varying music, from classical to electronic and Krefeld’s horse-course (Galopprennbahn Krefeld), where you can bet on your favorite horse. But still, if you hold back from buying a silk tie or a pair of kid gloves with the mark "Made in Krefeld" at the Christmas market in December, you can consider you haven’t been to this city!