All About Wuppertal

Wuppertal has been described as a unique city in the country. Two thirds if its area is green belt surrounded by wooded hills, it lies in the narrow valley of the River Wupper which flows into the Rhine between the nearby cities of Dusseldorf and Cologne.

Famous for its world-renowned suspension railway the Schwebebahn, Wuppertal has 390,000 inhabitants and has been a University City since 1972. It is also home to one of Germany's top technical academies.

Wuppertal is the country's largest transport and freight handling centre with no fewer then 11 autoban junctions and 21 railway stations. Its industries include machine tools, ball bearings, textile yarns, car accessories and chemicals.

There is a world-famous zoo with some 3,800 animals and birds housed in a scenically attractive area. Wuppertal Zoo is acclaimed for its work on saving endangered species

Wuppertal is a city rich in culture with numerous opera houses, theatres and museums. Modern dance icon Pina Bausch is based in Wuppertal. There are dozens of quality choirs and classical music groups.

The Van Der Heydt Museum houses an important collection of 19th and 20th Century masterpieces. The Fuhlrott Museum is named after the discoverer of Neanderthal Man, in a small village just outside the city. There is also a famous Children's Museum and Clock Museum.

The unique Schwebebahn carried 60,000 passengers daily along 13.3 kilometers, through 17 stations.

It opened in 1900 by Emperor Wilhelm II and the original train he rode in is still preserved and operates on special occasions.

The Schwebahn was described by on recent visitor from South Tyneside as a ‘dangly Metro'. It is an apt description and affords a great way of discovering South Tyneside's oldest twin town