Founded in 16 B.C., Neuss is co-holder of the title of Germany’s oldest city, but it has a modern sensibility. From its beginnings as an encampment for the Roman invasion of Germania, it has grown into a thriving part of the Rhine Valley industrial area. Visit some of the area’s most respected cultural institutions.
Start in the Altstadt (Old Town), ringed by the remains of 12th-century walls. Only the Obertor, a gate once besieged by Charles the Bold, still stands. Bask in the historic ambiance of the Basilica of St. Quirinus, which holds a Roman sarcophagus in its transept. Examine artifacts from the birth of the city at the Clems Sels Museum and view its modern art collection. Get a glimpse of the bourgeois industrial history that has made Neuss a bustling city since the early modern period in front of the striking red-and-white Zum Schwatte Päd, the region’s oldest burgher house.
Jet to the future at the hyper-modern Museum Insel Hombrolch, where a disused NATO rocket base, set in a meditative garden, holds masterworks from some of the 20th-century’s best-known artists. If that triggers a desire for green space, head to the small but impressive Botanischer Garten der Stadt Neuss, here since 1914, or watch an outdoor concert amid the blooms of the Rosengarten.
Neuss is across the Rhine from Düsseldorf, making it extremely accessible from that larger city. Düsseldorf’s central train station is a 10-minute subway ride from Neuss’ central station. Düsseldorf is on several major train lines throughout Europe and the region. Get to Neuss from Düsseldorf Airport, which has car rental facilities, in 40 minutes by subway or 20 minutes by car. The whole Rhine Valley is well connected by rail and road, with closely spaced cities making it easy to fly to Cologne or Bonn.
Visit Neuss in late August, when the Neuss Schützenfest, Germany’s largest marksmanship festival, brings 8,000 shooters and 1.5 million spectators for a weekend of history and celebration.
