Monchengladbach: Football, Ecology and Avant-Garde

Monchengladbach is an ancient city. It originated on the site of the abbey, founded in 974 by Archbishop Gero of Cologne and his companion, a monk from Trier, Sandrad. The Basilica of St. Vitus founded by them stands in the city center. It contains unique relics of the Catholic Church. Among them is a piece of the tablecloth, with which the table was covered at the Last Supper. The abbey itself ceased to exist after the Napoleonic Wars: The last monk left the monastery on October 31, 1802.

The settlement, next to which the monastery was founded, originally took its name from the small river Gladbach. In the XIV century the monastery and adjoining villages received the status of a town. In 1815 Gladbach became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. Plants and factories began to emerge there. And its name became a hindrance for the city, as there was a city already named Gladbach (the present Bergisch Gladbach) in Germany. Therefore, in 1907, the problem seemed to be resolved. Gladbach was named Munchen-Gladbach. Now, however, all began to think that Gladbach is the suburb of Munich, Bavaria. As a result, in 1950 the town was renamed in Monchengladbach.

The food is very diverse in Mönchengladbach. But attention should be paid primarily to the Westphalian cuisine. The Westphalian ham is worth tasting. The locals claim that its unique taste is associated with unusual acorns that local pigs eat. But experts give the recipe its due: before Westphalian ham gets on the table, it is salted, dried, and cold-smoked. Other traditional local dishes include meat prepared in the Rhenish way (beef steak, generously flavored with spices) and malted bread, pumpernickel. Potato dishes, hash browns, in particular are also respected here.

Places of interest in the city include the Altermarkt. It is surprisingly expanded and spacious for such a small town. The modern sculpture "Man and Time", a fountain of unusual shape and the temperature tower are side by side with old houses on the square. Capuchin Square (Kapuzinerplatz) is nearby with a city market opening on it three times a week. Most of the restaurants and bars are concentrated here. The town is also known for Abteiberg Museum. It houses a unique collection of art dating to the second half of the twentieth century, rare avant-garde and postmodern collection. The museum is located in a non-standard building specially built for it by the Austrian architect Hans Hollein.

Yet, the care for the environment is the most important thing with what Monchengladbach is remarkable. The idea of the metropolis surrounded by nature is made a reality here. During warmer months, many of the buildings, including historical, are surrounded by greenery. A large number of magnificent parks and gardens complete the picture. Green plantations occupy 60% of the urban area! The Niers river adds charm: the city, in fact, is a continuous promenade, which stretches 22 kilometers along the river.

The main walking street, Waldhauserstrasse, beckons with showcases of the numerous shops. The same street is the venue for the traditional carnival, which usually starts in the second half of February and lasts until the Lent. The so-called Violet Tuesday with a bright and noisy carnival procession in different costumes becomes the highlight of the carnival in Mönchengladbach. Besides, it is always the Tuesday before Lent, so on this day meat food is always eaten.

Football fans will certainly know Moenchengladbach thanks to Borussia football team. In the 1970s, coach Hannes Weisweiler created a wonderful team, which in those years, won the championship of Germany for five times! Now the players of Borussia are called "stallions" in the city. This team is a symbol of the city and its pride.

The small Monchengladbach with a population of 300 thousand people is also known for the number- anomalously high for such a city- of famous people born here. Famous German football players of the 1970s Günter Netzer and Jupp Heynckes, Formula 1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Nick Heidfeld are from here. Long before them founder of the famous fitness system of Joseph Pilates and political leader of the Third Reich, Joseph Goebbels were born here. Aircraft designer Hugo Junkers, painter Johann Wilhelm Preyer, philosopher Hans Jonas were also born here. This is not bad concentration of talents for a small town and it makes the visit to the town even more intriguing!