Wittlaer: A Village on the Rhine with a Waterworks History

On the banks of the Rhine, Wittlaer reveals itself as a village with a Lower Rhine character. Its profile also includes a direct light rail connection, traces of sacred and industrial history, and routes for pilgrims and cyclists. The landscape, cultural history and specific tours offer different focal points for a stay.

Village Character, the Rhine and the Landscape

Some restaurants have attractive beer gardens and offer views of the Rhine. This combines the village character of the area with a clear connection to the river. Another distinctive landscape lies at the mouth of the Schwarzbach: around 270 pollarded willows, most of them older trees, stand in the meadows between Kaiserswerth and Wittlaer. The Duisburg public utility’s water protection area in Wittlaer is largely in its natural state and provides a protected refuge for numerous animal species. The pollarded willow meadows and the water protection area represent different aspects of nature: one is a specific landscape with distinctive trees, the other a protected habitat.

Church Architecture and Art at St. Remigius

St. Remigius is a small, low-profile basilica. The west tower dates from the second half of the 12th century; the set-back choir bay with its semicircular apse was built in the early 13th century. The different dates reveal two distinct construction phases: the tower and choir area do not belong to the same period. St. Remigius also houses works by Ewald Mataré from the 1920s and 1930s, including a Crucifixion group, an altar cross and a tabernacle. Wittlaer thus brings together medieval church architecture and 20th-century art.

Water Supply and Industrial Heritage

Water supply is both a present-day topic in Wittlaer and part of its industrial history. At Waterworks 3 Wittlaer, visitors can learn more about historical and modern water extraction. A guided tour begins with a presentation and a short film. This is followed by a walk explaining and showing the route from the well to the filter. Group packages may vary.

The historic waterworks at Wasserwerksweg 60, 40489 Düsseldorf-Wittlaer, is a complex of buildings constructed in 1910 in the style of Rhenish industrial heritage. Steam piston pumps and water extraction equipment have been preserved there in their original form. Public access is limited to event dates; check the relevant date before visiting. When planning, bear in mind two conditions: group packages for the tour may vary, and access to the historic complex is limited to events.

Pilgrimage Route and Cycle Tour

Düsseldorf-Wittlaer is stop 4 on stage 4, variant C, of the Way of St. James pilgrimage route from Dortmund to Aachen. The stage itself runs from Duisburg to Kaiserswerth. This places Wittlaer within a named section of the route without confusing the stage with a local circular walk.

Another way to explore the area on two wheels is the annual cycle tour organized by the local history association “Wir für Wittlaer.” It starts at the S-Bahn stop in Wittlaer and covers twelve kilometres through Wittlaer and the surrounding area. The route follows attractive, low-traffic paths and then continues along the Rhine via Kaiserswerth back to Wittlaer. While the pilgrimage route is identified by its stage and variant, the cycle tour has a specified length as well as a starting point and return destination. Check the date and route with the organizer in advance.

Another Highlight in Düsseldorf

In the wider destination of Düsseldorf, the Hofgarten offers a different highlight: it is Düsseldorf’s oldest public park, covers around 27 hectares and features a large expanse of water as well as numerous sculptures. While Wittlaer is characterized by its village setting on the Rhine, the Hofgarten represents an urban parkland.

If you are looking for hotels in Wittlaer, you can start by considering what you would like your trip to focus on: the village’s connection to the Rhine, its church and industrial history, or a specific pilgrimage or cycle tour.

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Go to the main travel guide: Düsseldorf.