Welcome to the velvet and silk city of Krefeld - the birthplace of Thierry Hermès and Joseph Beuys, the workplace of Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the nucleus of the German textile industry.
Krefeld is an idiosyncratic, multi-faceted city. Freedom and tolerance characterize its history and have always formed the basis of its economic success.
Culture and building culture shape the face of the city. The cultural diversity and the different eras give Krefeld an appealing and distinctive profile. Discovering this is at least as exciting for visitors to the velvet and silk city as it is always inspiring for Krefeld residents. After all, the velvet and silk era has shaped the development of the city. Not only the town hall, the former city palace of the von der Leyen family, or the Lange and Esters houses are reminders of this period. This year, a temporary building based on a never-realized design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is being built as a walk-in model on the Egelsberg.
From the city's early history, buildings worth seeing such as the medieval Linn Castle with its extensive parks and the Mathias Church have been preserved and, along with Krefeld Zoo, are popular excursion destinations for cyclists and tour groups. However, the cityscape is not only characterized by history, but also by post-war modernist buildings such as the university complex by Bernhard Pfau or the administration building by Egon Eiermann, which is now used as a town hall. Modern buildings give the city center a special profile. The media library and the Behnisch Haus are particularly worth mentioning.
Further information on guided tours, excursions or current exhibitions can be obtained from the Tourist Information Office of the City of Krefeld.