City tours

Joseph Beuys – an artist whose ideas and works polarise to this day – put Mönchengladbach on the map of the international art scene. Reactions ranging from enthusiasm to outright rejection addressed his art in an impressive way. How did the Mönchengladbach public react to his first major solo exhibition in 1967? For what reason did one of his bronze sculptures end up as a “doghouse” on a motif float at the Veilchendienstagszug instead of in the Hardt district administration? And why should one of the most important action artists of the 20th century be held accountable for removing a wall inscription? Find out the answers to these questions and other details of a relationship that first had to grow on this eventful city walk in the centre of Mönchengladbach.

Sculptural art and sculptures can be found in many public places in Mönchengladbach, in park landscapes and sometimes in hidden courtyards. Most of the works of art on the Sculpture Mile have their origins in the regional project “Kunstwege”, which was created at the time of EUROGA 2002plus. Extended by more recent exhibits, such as the donkey sculptures on Sonnenhaus Platz by Rita McBride or the bronze sculpture by Maria Lehnen on Münstervorplatz, the city tour Sculpture Mile 2.0 – City Centre leads from the sculpture garden below the Abteiberg Museum and Hans-Jonas Park to the Old Town and shows more than 30 exhibits from differentiated epochs.

The Textile Route developed by Museum Schloss Rheydt is a tribute to Mönchengladbach’s significant development as a textile city. Our guided cycle tours can be enjoyed in two different courses: through Mönchengladbach and through Rheydt. The routes not only lead to the various textile locations, but also highlight entrepreneurial personalities of Mönchengladbach’s textile industry who have left their mark on the city.
Each route is about 20 kilometres long and takes in 27 sites of the former “Rhenish Manchester”, which impressively illustrate the city’s rich textile history, e.g. industrial sites, workers’ housing estates and parks.

Tours can also be booked individually for groups.
City bikes or e-bikes can be rented at the bike stations. (Please book yourself)

Here the woman is in charge! Have you always wanted to listen to gossip among women? Then the Waschweibtour is just the right thing for you. At the Geroweiher and the Bleichwiesen, the Waschweib listens to the latest news and, of course, conscientiously passes it on. At historically and culturally significant places in Mönchengladbach, this city tour introduces you to the stories of important female personalities from today’s Mönchengladbach and the Mönchengladbach of yesteryear – all quite discreetly. Women’s business, that’s what it is!

St. Vitus Minster, with its over 1,000-year history, is not only a Catholic church, but also the landmark of Mönchengladbach in its significance for the city’s history. Situated on top of the Abteiberg, with a fantastic view over the city, this impressive building rises up and forms the imposing backdrop for an exciting journey through time. Stories of the devil’s legend that surrounds the crypt of the cathedral, sacred art, the Basilica Minor, fascinating stained glass and architectural masterpieces are all part of this city tour. Let yourself be carried away into the world of the dark Middle Ages and fathom the mysteries surrounding the cathedral.

As the day draws to a close, a history lesson of a very special kind will take you through the old town of Mönchengladbach in the evening, which is also dark in the winter months. Follow the mysterious black-robed monk on a journey into the history of the city and let yourself be initiated into the life of Count Balderich and his connection to the Vitus City. During this walk you will learn many entertaining anecdotes to amaze and amuse. To round off the tour and for refreshment, we recommend a stop at a “tavern” on the Old Market Square, where you can relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.

The Bunter Garten, located in the centre and behind the Kaiser-Friedrich-Halle, is one of the city’s most popular public parks. Over the course of time, the 300-square-metre “Kaiserpark” developed into a park of around 30 hectares, whose diversity of plants is a feast for the eyes all year round. It is divided into Kaiserpark, Bunter Garten and the 5 ha Botanical Garden. The latter includes the Apothecary Garden with over 200 different medicinal plants, which are also used by trainees in the pharmacy and drugstore professions to train their knowledge. During the guided tour, you will be introduced to both native and foreign plants of the extensive plant diversity – with their special features and in some cases their relation to mythology.