Mönchengladbach Archives ⋆ The Passenger

November 10, 2019December 13, 2019

Borussia-Park

Borussia Mönchengladbach, the soccer club of Mönchengladbach, Germany, was once playing at an epic stadium called the Bökelberg. Legendary fights are recorded from that times. A lot of stories could be told of that place (like when in 1971 the goal post broke in a match against Werder Bremen). What is left? The Bökelberg still exists even though the stadium was destroyed from 2005 on. It defended itself and withstood the first explosives – but today it is converted into a residential zone. You can still see the terraces and the structure of the stadium.

November 10, 2019December 2, 2019

Where is the fodder?

The Tiergarten of Mönchengladbach, Germany is just a small zoological garden but one that is fun – especially for families. They don’t have too many species there but you can get pretty close to most of them. Especially the alpacas, donkeys, horses and pigs will expect that you have something for them in your pockets. Fortunately, you can buy some fodder for the animals at the cash desk. That way you can easily attract them and pet some nice animals. In addition to domestic animals, they also give a home to species like kangaroos and seals.

November 9, 2019February 19, 2020

Schloß Rheydt

To be honest, the city of Mönchengladbach, Germany, isn’t such a beauty. If you want to visit a wonderful building you’ll have to travel a bit and search the castle Schloß Rheydt in the outskirts of the city. No worries: buses from the train stations (Hauptbahnhof, Rheydt) bring you there easily. It is a water castle created in Renaissance style between 1558 and 1591. The manor house is very beautiful and it is especially nice to get here in the evening hours when it is enlighted in warm colours. In 1940 Joseph Goebbels wanted to use it as a guest house, today you’ll find a good restaurant and an interesting museum here.

November 9, 2019December 3, 2019

Stars of the Galaxy

If you’re a fan of the epic Star Wars saga (and who isn’t?) the exhibition Stars of the Galaxy at Mönchengladbach, Germany might be the right place for you to visit. In 2005 collectors started to exhibit their Star Wars collections in an old cinema at the city quarter Rheydt. In 2011 the combined collections moved to an even more bizarre location: the Berliner Bad or Kaiserbad – a former indoor swimming pool. Within the old pool itself you can now see a giant scene on the ice planet Hoth. The AT-AT dominating this battle scene is 4.5 meters high.

November 9, 2019February 19, 2020

Abteiberg

The Abteiberg is a hill next to the city centre of Mönchengladbach, Germany, which received its name when the Münster St. Vitus was built on top. Visiting the Abteiberg can also mean to visit the Städtisches Museum Abteiberg not far away from the church – which I recommend. It is a museum with interesting modern architecture and a lot of modern art within. It was founded somewhen between 1901 and 1904, the current building is in use since 1982. It is one of the most important museums for contemporary in Germany and has a focus on works of the 20th and 21st century.

November 9, 2019December 3, 2019

Fair Hotel

The Fair Hotel is a surprisingly good hotel next to the railway station of Mönchengladbach, Germany. It rather feels like a house with different modern and quite spacious apartments. The reception is not open around the clock but there is a giant red door you can’t miss and which opens with a key you receive when checking in. I had the feeling of living in the city, a situation I absolutely like.

November 9, 2019February 19, 2020

Münster St. Vitus

The city of Mönchengladbach, Germany, is still today sometimes called Vitusstadt (city of Vitus). It is said that Vitus was a Pagan child in Sicilia, Italy and was converted to Christianity. Already as a small child, he is said to have worked wonders as a miracle healer. His father and also the Roman emperor Diocletian tried to punish and kill him – but they all failed. Torture didn’t work, boiling oil couldn’t kill him, lions wouldn’t eat him. He became one of the fourteen holy helpers and relics from his remains were considered really powerful.