imported>Lberges: /* Geography */

2025-11-17T12:35:28Z

Geography

New page

{{other uses}}
{{Infobox German location
|name = Mülheim an der Ruhr
|German_name =
|type = City
|image_photo = Muelheim-Teilpanorama-von-Styrumer-Bruecke-Nordosten-2013.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption = View of the city centre
|image_coa = DEU Mülheim an der Ruhr COA.svg
|image_flag = DEU Mülheim an der Ruhr Flag.svg
|coordinates = {{coord|51|25|39|N|06|52|57|E|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = North rhine w MH.svg
|plantext =
|state = North Rhine-Westphalia
|region = Düsseldorf
|district = urban
|elevation = 26-153
|area = 91.28
|area_metro =
|pop_metro =
|postal_code = 45468–45481
|area_code = 0208, 02054
|licence = MH
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 05117000
|divisions = 3 districts, 9 boroughs
|website = [http://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/ www.muelheim-ruhr.de]
|mayor = Marc Buchholz<ref>[https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/index_obb_lr.shtml#ob_lr Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020], Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 19 June 2021.</ref>
|leader_term = 2020–25
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|party = CDU
|ruling_party1 = |ruling_party2 = |ruling_party3 =
|year =
|_noautocat =
}}

'''Mülheim''', officially '''Mülheim an der Ruhr''' ({{IPA|de|ˈmyːlhaɪm ʔan deːɐ̯ ˈʁuːɐ̯|-|De-Mülheim (Ruhr).ogg}}, {{lit|Mülheim on the [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]]}}; {{langx|nds|Mölm}}; {{langx|ksh|Müllem}}) and also described as ''"City on the River"'', is a [[List of cities and towns in Germany|city]] in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] in western [[Germany]]. It is located in the [[Ruhr]] Area between [[Duisburg]], [[Essen]], [[Oberhausen]] and [[Ratingen]]. It is home to many companies, and two [[Max Planck Society|Max Planck Institutes]].

Mülheim an der Ruhr was granted city rights in 1808, and a century later its population surpassed 100,000, officially making it a major city.”

==Geography==

Mülheim an der Ruhr is located to the southwest of [[Essen]] in the Ruhr valley.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mülheim an der Ruhr |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mulheim-an-der-Ruhr |publisher=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |access-date=5 December 2020}}</ref> The city consists of 19 districts, 14 of which are located on the right bank of the Ruhr and 5 on the left bank.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Districts of Mülheim an der Ruhr
|-
! Right bank of the Ruhr !! style="text-align:right;" | Population
|-
| Altstadt || style="text-align:right;" | 24000
|-
| Dümpten || style="text-align:right;" | 18800
|-
| Styrum || style="text-align:right;" | 16200
|-
| Eppinghofen¹ || style="text-align:right;" | 12500
|-
| Mellinghofen¹ || style="text-align:right;" | 11000
|-
| Holthausen || style="text-align:right;" | 10800
|-
| Heißen || style="text-align:right;" | 10000
|-
| Heimaterde² || style="text-align:right;" | 6300
|-
| Winkhausen || style="text-align:right;" | 5000
|-
| Raadt || style="text-align:right;" | 1700
|-
| Menden || style="text-align:right;" | 1200
|-
| Ickten || style="text-align:right;" | 200
|-
! Left bank of the Ruhr !! style="text-align:right;" | Population
|-
| Saarn || style="text-align:right;" | 20500
|-
| Speldorf || style="text-align:right;" | 18900
|-
| Broich || style="text-align:right;" | 14200
|-
| Selbeck || style="text-align:right;" | 1800
|-
| Mintard || style="text-align:right;" | 700
|}
¹ Eppinghofen and Mellinghofen are part of the so-called northern city centre (referred to as Altstadt II).

² The old name for Heimaterde in the land register is Fulerum<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gemarkung Fulerum (Mülheim an der Ruhr) / Nordrhein-Westfalen / Geoindex.io |url=https://geoindex.io/gemarkungen/053436 |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=geoindex.io}}</ref>.

Figures are estimates based on statistical data from 2025<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-24 |title=Bevölkerungsbestand |url=https://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/cms/ef073f94b44d319554b5044c207f1cfc |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Stadt Mülheim an der Ruhr |language=de}}</ref>.

The city is divided into three administrative districts (Bezirke), six sub-areas (Teilräume) for planning purposes, and nine (official) districts and 28 statistical districts<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-09-09 |title=Gebietsgliederung / Grenzen |url=https://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/cms/6882add705511b5e5453970cb727108f |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=Stadt Mülheim an der Ruhr |language=de}}</ref>. There are 27 electoral districts for local elections.[[File:Ruhrtalbruecke-Sonnenuntergang.jpg|thumb|left|The bridge Mintarder Ruhrtalbrücke in Mülheim, crosses the Ruhr connecting [[Düsseldorf]] and [[Essen]]]]

===Geology===

The northern foothills of the [[Rhenish Massif]] are characterised by the distinctive rock formation of the bare mountain slopes through which run coal-bearing layers which formed during the [[carboniferous]] period. Here the Ruhr cuts more than 50 meters deep into this [[Mittelgebirge]]. This natural [[erosion]] partly uncovered these mineable [[bituminous coal|black coal]] deposits, which enabled their exploration and extraction using [[adit]]s. However, the coal-rich layers became ever deeper as one progressed northward, which required setting up [[mining|mines]] to extract the black coal. In contrast, the broad [[bayou]] (dead arm of a river) of Styrum borough is characteristic of the features of the Lower Rhine Plain.<ref name="Mülheim Geology">{{cite web|url=http://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/cms/muelheim_im_wandel_dererdgeschichte.html|title=Mülheim an der Ruhr official website – Eine kurze Geschichte zur Geologie und zur Geographie des Stadtgebietes|access-date=2010-04-19|publisher= [[File:Flag of Germany.svg|border|10px]] {{fontcolor|Green|(in only [[German language|{{fontcolor|Green|German}}]])}} [[copyright|©]] 1998–2010 MST Mülheimer Stadtmarketing und Tourismus GmbH}}''</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#efefef;"|Rank
! style="background:#efefef;"|Nationality
! style="background:#efefef;"|Population (31.12.2022)
|-
|1||{{flag|Turkey}}||4,807
|-
|2||{{flag|Syria}}||2,910
|-
|3||{{flag|Serbia}}||1,594
|-
|4||{{flag|Iraq}}||1,423
|-
|5||{{flag|Poland}}||1,357
|-
|6||{{flag|Ukraine}}||1,306
|-
|7||{{flag|Romania}}||1,243
|-
|8||{{flag|Italy}}||1,149
|-
|9||{{flag|China}}||1,017
|-
|10||{{flag|Kosovo}}||964
|}

==History==
{{Expand section|date=April 2025}}
Mülheim was chartered in 1808. Between 1878 and 1929, Mülheim absorbed its neighboring towns, including Broich and Heissen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mülheim an der Ruhr {{!}} Ruhr Valley, Industrial City, Rhine-Ruhr Region {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mulheim-an-der-Ruhr |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Later, during [[World War II]], [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced laborers]] of the 3rd [[SS construction brigade]] were dispatched in the town by the Nazis in 1943.<ref>{{cite book|last=Megargee|first=Geoffrey P.|year=2009|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=1385|isbn=978-0-253-35328-3}}</ref>

==Transport==
The [[Essen Stadtbahn|U18]] [[Rapid transit|metro]] line connects the city with [[Essen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/de/mh/muelheim.htm|title=Mülheim an der Ruhr|publisher=Urban Rail|access-date=21 November 2015}}</ref>

The nearest airport is [[Düsseldorf Airport]], located {{convert|30|km|0|abbr=on}} south west of Mülheim.

==Politics==
===Mayor===
The current mayor of Mülheim is Marc Buchholz of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) since 2020. The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|
| align=left| Marc Buchholz
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 16,479
| 25.4
| 27,716
| 56.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Monika Griefahn]]
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 16,385
| 25.3
| 20,984
| 43.1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|
| align=left| Wilhelm Steitz
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 10,178
| 15.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Horst Bilo
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 5,394
| 8.3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Jürgen Abeln
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 4,907
| 7.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}|
| align=left| Andreas Brings
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 3,940
| 6.1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}|
| align=left| Alexander von Wrese
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 3,920
| 6.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|
| align=left| Amrei Debatin
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]
| 1,853
| 2.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Jochen Dirk Hartmann
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 945
| 1.5
|-
|
| align=left| Martin Ulrich Fritz
| align=left| Civic Awakening Mülheim
| 808
| 1.2
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 64,809
! 98.7
! 48,700
! 98.6
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 879
! 1.3
! 679
! 1.4
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 65,688
! 100.0
! 49,379
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 130,571
! 50.3
! 130,561
! 37.8
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/aktuell/b117000kw2000.shtml State Returning Officer]
|}

===City council===
[[File:2020 Mulheim a.d. Ruhr City Council election.svg|thumb|350px|Results of the 2020 city council election]]
The Mülheim city council governs the city alongside the mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 16,970
| 26.3
| {{decrease}} 0.9
| 14
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 15,097
| 23.4
| {{increase}} 12.4
| 13
| {{increase}} 7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 13,765
| 21.3
| {{decrease}} 10.2
| 12
| {{decrease}} 5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 4,629
| 7.2
| {{increase}} 1.9
| 4
| {{increase}} 1
|-
|
| align=left| Mülheimer Citizens' Initiative (MBI)
| 3,043
| 4.7
| {{decrease}} 5.4
| 3
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 3,003
| 4.7
| {{decrease}} 0.7
| 3
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}|
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]] (PARTEI)
| 2,866
| 4.4
| New
| 2
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 1,751
| 2.7
| {{decrease}} 1.4
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
|
| align=left| We From Mülheim (WIR)
| 1,560
| 2.4
| {{increase}} 1.0
| 1
| ±0
|-
|
| align=left| Civic Awakening Mülheim (BAMH)
| 1,173
| 1.8
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| colspan=7 bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
|
| align=left| Alliance for Education (BüfBi)
| 424
| 0.7
| {{decrease}} 0.3
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Independents
| 226
| 0.4
| –
| 0
| –
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 64,507
! 98.3
!
!
!
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid votes
! 1,144
! 1.7
!
!
!
|-
! colspan=2| Total
! 65,651
! 100.0
!
! 54
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 130,571
! 50.3
! {{steady}} 0.0
!
!
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/aktuell/a117000kw2000.shtml State Returning Officer]
|}

==Education and research==
Mülheim is home to two Max Planck Institutes, a university campus, and various other educational and scientific institutions.
*[[Max Planck Institute for Coal Research]]
*[[Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion]]
*[[Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences]], main campus
*IWW Water Centre, water research institute of the [[University of Duisburg-Essen]]
*39 Schools, among them 22 [[primary school]]s, 12 general [[secondary school]]s, 2 [[vocational school]]s, 1 [[Waldorf education|Waldorf school]], and 2 [[Special education|special schools]]

== Economy ==
Mülheim an der Ruhr has a longstanding industrial heritage as part of the Ruhrgebiet, historically focused on [[coal mining]], [[Steelmaking|steel]], and [[Chemical industry|chemicals]]. While heavy industry has declined, the city has shifted towards [[logistics]], [[retail]], [[Scientific method|scientific research]], and high-value services.

Mülheim has positioned itself as a logistics and services hub within North Rhine-Westphalia, supported by its proximity to Düsseldorf, Essen, and the Rhine-Ruhr transport network. The local economy includes strong retail and food distribution sectors, along with growing activity in energy and environmental sciences, partly driven by the presence of research institutions such as the Max Planck Institutes and Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences.

==Companies==
*[[Siemens Energy]] (founded 2020), an energy technology company, is the largest employer in Mülheim
*[[Aldi|Aldi Süd]] (founded 1946, split in two parts in 1960, renamed to Aldi Süd in 1962), a discount supermarket chain, has its corporate headquarters in Mülheim
*PVS rhein-ruhr (founded in 1927) handles billing for the healthcare sector<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gesellschaft - PVS rhein-ruhr |url=https://www.pvs-rr.de/gesellschaft |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=www.pvs-rr.de}}</ref>
*[[Europipe GmbH]] (founded 1991), Europipe produces large seamless pipes for oil and gas pipelines, including [[Nord Stream]]
*At [[ThyssenKrupp]] Presta, steering systems for the automotive industry are assembled
*[[Harke Group]], formerly Syntana (founded 1965), wholesaler for chemicals

==Sports clubs==
*[[1. FC Mülheim]] (founded 1923), a [[Football team|football club]]. The club from the working-class district of Styrum district celebrated its greatest success with promotion to the [[2. Bundesliga]] (Nord) in 1974, where they played for two seasons.
*[[VfB Speldorf]] (founded 1919), a football club. The VfB's greatest success was winning the ''[[Lower Rhine Cup|Niederrheinpokal]]'' in 2009
*[[HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim]] (founded 1920), a [[field hockey]] club

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Mülheim is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Städtepartnerschaften|url=https://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/cms/staedtepartnerschaften_und_patenschaften1.html|publisher=Mülheim an der Ruhr|language=de|access-date=2025-09-23}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Borough of Darlington|Darlington]], United Kingdom (1953)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Tours]], France (1962)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Opole]], Poland (1989)
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Kfar Saba]], Israel (1993)
*{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Beykoz]], Turkey (2007)
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Kouvola]], Finland (2009)
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[William Rittenhouse]] (1644–1708), founder of the first [[paper mill]] in North America
*[[Gerhard Tersteegen]] (1697–1769), [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]] religious writer
*[[Carl Arnold Kortum]] (1745–1824), physician, writer and poet
*[[August Bungert]] (1845–1915), opera composer and poet
*[[Wilibald Nagel]] (1863–1929), musicologist
*[[Hugo Stinnes]] (1870–1924), industrialist and founder of the [[German People's Party]]
*[[Fritz Thyssen]] (1873–1951), industrialist associated with the [[National Socialist German Workers Party|Nazi Party]]
*[[Carl Otto von Eicken]] (1873–1960), [[otorhinolaryngologist]]
*[[Heinrich Thyssen]] (1875–1947), German-Hungarian entrepreneur and art collector
*[[Arthur Kaufmann (artist)|Arthur Kaufmann]] (1888–1971), painter
*[[Walter Hartmann]] (1891–1977), general of [[artillery]] in World War II
*[[Dagmar Mühlenfeld]] (born 1951), mayor of Mülheim an der Ruhr
*[[Otto Pankok]] (1893–1966), painter, printmaker and sculptor
*[[Otto Roelen]] (1897–1993), chemist
*[[Karl Ziegler]] (1898–1973), chemist, [[Nobel Prize]] winner
*[[Clärenore Stinnes]] (1901–1990), car racer, the first person to circumnavigate the world by automobile
*[[Werner Best]] (1903–1989), jurist, police chief and Nazi leader
*[[Carl Balhaus]] (1905–1968), actor and director
*[[Ferdinand aus der Fünten]] (1909–1989), SS-Hauptsturmführer, war criminal
*[[Fritz Buchloh]] (1909–1998), footballer
*[[Günther Smend]] (1912–1944), officer and a resistance fighter involved in the [[July 20 Plot]] to [[assassination|assassinate]] Adolf Hitler
*[[Karl Albrecht]] (1920–2014), entrepreneur
*[[Theo Albrecht]] (1922–2010), entrepreneur
*[[Wilhelm Knabe]] (1923–2021), ecologist, pacifist, civil servant and politician
*[[Wim Thoelke]] (1927–1995), TV entertainer
*[[Hermann Bottenbruch]] (1928–2019), mathematician and computer scientist
*[[Jürgen Sundermann]] (born 1940), football player and manager
*[[Hans Walitza]] (born 1945), football player and manager
*[[Rudolf Seliger]] (born 1951), footballer
*[[Bodo Hombach]] (born 1952), politician
*[[Monika Griefahn]] (born 1954), politician
*[[Hans-Günter Bruns]] (born 1954), footballer
*[[Helge Schneider]] (born 1955), comedian, musician, author, film and theatre director and actor
*[[Ralph Morgenstern]] (born 1956), television presenter and actor
*[[Albrecht von Croÿ]] (born 1958), journalist
*[[Ulla Kock am Brink]] (born 1961), television presenter
*[[Hannelore Kraft]] (born 1961), politician, [[List of Ministers-President of North Rhine-Westphalia|Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia]]
*[[Ralf Lübke]] (born 1965), athlete
*[[Carolin Emcke]] (born 1967), journalist
*[[Willi Landgraf]] (born 1968), footballer
*[[Sven Meinhardt]] (born 1971), field hockey player, Olympic winner
*[[André Lenz]] (born 1973), footballer
*[[Lars Burgsmüller]] (born 1975), tennis player
*[[Marion Rodewald]] (born 1976), field hockey player, Olympic winner
*[[Kai Gehring]] (born 1977), politician
*[[Felix Erdmann]] (born 1978), rowing cox
*[[Simone Hanselmann]] (born 1979), actress
*[[Salih Altın]] (born 1987), footballer
*[[Bobby Gunns]] (born 1992), professional wrestler
*[[Jonathan Rommelmann]] (born 1994), rower, Olympic medalist
*[[Stephanie Stebich]] (born 1966), art historian
*[[Rüdiger Emshoff]] (born 1960), maxillofacial surgeon and associate professor
*[[Karl Schmitz-Scholl]] (1868-1933), businessman
{{div col end}}

==Gallery==
{{clear}}
{{Wide image|Panorama Mülheim vom Rathausturm Richtung NW Crop 2014.jpg|1000px|Panorama of Mülheim in 2014}}

<gallery>
File:Schloss-Broich-2013-01-Alternative.jpg|Courtyard of Schloss Broich
File:Rathaus-Muelheim-Nordseite-2013.jpg|Town Hall
File:MH-Stadthalle-2011.jpg|Mülheim Stadthalle
File:Mülheim an der Ruhr, straatzicht3 Aktienstraße foto2 2012-08-19 15.19.jpg|View to the street and tram station Aktienstraße
File:Friedrichstraße.jpg|Friedrichstraße
File:Mülheim an der Ruhr, die Petrikirche foto3 2012-08-19 15.38.JPG|Petrikirche
File:Luftbild-MH-Nordosten-2009.jpg|Highrise buildings in the city centre
File:Müga Wasserspiele sw 2013.jpg|Water feature in MüGa-Park
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Germany}}
*[[Mülheim (Ruhr) Hauptbahnhof|Mülheim Hauptbahnhof]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Mülheim an der Ruhr}}
{{Commons category|Mülheim an der Ruhr}}
*{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Mülheim-an-der-Ruhr |volume=18 |page=960 |short=x}}
* [http://www.muelheim-ruhr.de/ Official city homepage]

<br>
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Germany districts north rhine-westphalia}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulheim}}
[[Category:Mülheim| ]]
[[Category:Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:Urban districts of North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:1808 establishments in the Confederation of the Rhine]]
[[Category:Districts of the Rhine Province]]
[[Category:Düsseldorf (region)]]

Mülheim - Revision history

imported>Lberges: /* Geography */