Viersen

Viersen
Coat of arms
Viersen
Location of Viersen within Viersen district
Coordinates:
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Düsseldorf
District	Viersen
Government
• Mayor	Sabine Anemüller (since 10/2015) (SPD)
Area
• Total	91.07 km2 (35.16 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)
• Total	74,907
• Density	820/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	41747–41751
Dialling codes	0 21 62
Vehicle registration	VIE
Website	www.viersen.de

Viersen is the capital of the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Geography

Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km east of Venlo (Netherlands).

Division of the town

The city of Viersen is made up of three (formerly independent) cities: Süchteln, Dülken and Viersen, which combined in 1970, and one former village, Boisheim, which combined with Viersen in 1968.

Economy

The companies Mars Incorporated (chocolate bars) and the "Kaiser's Tengelmann AG" (supermarkets) are situated in one of Viersen's industrial districts named Dülken-Mackenstein.

Bismarck Tower

Culture

Recurring events

• International Jazz Festival in Viersen's Festival Hall (Festhalle). September
• The World Championships of Carom billiards take place in Viersen's Festival Hall (Festhalle). March
• Big Carnival Parades in all 3 city parts. The one in Dülken is one of the biggest and most traditional Parades in North Rhine-Westphalia. February
• The Dülkener Schöppenmarkt, a type of flea/junk market, which takes place on the day after the last Carnival parade, is one of Germany's biggest. February
• Big free-of-charge flea market in the Viersen's pedestrian zone where only children are allowed to sell. Biggest market of this type in Germany. Summer
• "Viersen blüht" (Viersen is blooming) is a voluntary initiative which places arrangements and sculptures of flowers all over the city's pedestrian zone. Summer
• International Biker Meeting, organized by the local biker-club "MC Viersen 1980 e.V.". 2nd weekend each September
• Viersen Jazz Festival. 4th weekend each September
• Big kite-flying-festival. Autumn
• Eier & Speck Festival ("Eggs & Bacon Festival") is an Alternative, Punk and Indie rock festival founded in 2006 by the singer of local band "Ranzig", Christoph Tappeser ("Tappi"), and held annually in summer near the forest area "Hoher Busch". Line-up for 2008 were Clawfinger (Sweden), Knorkator (Berlin), The Shanes, Blue Babies, Custard Pies and others. 3000 visitors came in 2008 and tickets included the concerts, camping and breakfast. July or August

Viersen sculpture collection
Erwin Heerich: Monument

Main sights

• Dülkener Narrenmühle und Narrenmuseum
• Viersen sculpture collection
• Städtische Galerie im Park Viersen
• Viersen Bismarck Tower
• Festhalle Viersen

Transport

Viersen is connected to the region by a dense bus network and Viersen station. The station is served by various local and regional rail lines.

Notable people

• Gustav von Mevissen (1815–1899), businessman and politician
• Illa Martin (1900–1988), dendrologist, botanist, conservationist and dentist
• Albert Vigoleis Thelen (1903–1989) author and translator (from Portuguese)
• Hilde Bruch (1904–1984), psychoanalyst
• Erik Martin (*1936), writer, editor, songwriter and composer of songs
• Helmut Reisen (*1950), economist
• Holger Henke (*1960), political scientist
• Zenîma (*1969), is an alternative singer, songwriter and musician born on 1969 in Viersen, Germany
• Till Brönner (*1971), jazz musician, trumpet player, singer, composer, arranger and producer
• Mirja Boes (*1971), comedian, actress, and singer
• Udo Voigt, German politician

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Viersen is twinned with:

• Calau, Germany
• Kaniv, Ukraine
• Lambersart, France
• Mittweida, Germany
• Pardesiya, Israel
• Peterborough, United Kingdom

External links

• Official site (German)
• Kempen, Germany