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Blick aus dem Audienzsaal Schloss Augustusburg, © André Menne, Peter Wieler

UN­ESCO World Her­it­age in NRW

The most im­port­ant her­it­age sites in NRW

Co­logne Cathed­ral, Aachen Cathed­ral, the castles of Au­gus­tus­burg and Falken­lust in Brühl and the Zollver­ein Coal Mine In­dus­tri­al Com­plex in Es­sen. These are NRW’s most im­port­ant cul­tur­al monu­ments to by­gone times. Since 2014, Schloss Cor­vey has been ad­ded to this list.

Emperors and electors, men of the church and big industrialists have all left their mark in North Rhine-Westphalia in the form of five splendid monuments that are now included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Imposing cathedrals, magnificent castles, an immense former Benedictine abbey and the most beautiful coal mine in the world all have a fascinating history waiting to be discovered.

Das ehemalige Kloster und heutige Schloss Corvey ist heute Wohnort des Herzoglichen Hauses Ratibor und Corvey, © Tourismus NRW e.V.

Cor­vey Höx­ter

West­phalia’s first UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site

West­phalia gained its first UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site in 2014: The former Be­ne­dict­ine ab­bey at Cor­vey with the same name as the lost mon­as­tery town is per­mit­ted to carry this title.

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Schloss Falkenlust ist elegant ausgestattet und eingerichtet, © Horst Gummersbach

The Brühl Palaces Brühl

Baroque build­ings of ex­em­plary char­ac­ter

Vis­it­ors find the baroque splend­our of the Brühl palaces simply breath­tak­ing. Any­one who stands in the stair­way will un­der­stand why oth­er roy­al courts can only look at Brühl with envy. Today, both struc­tures and their gar­dens and parks are lis­ted as Un­esco World Her­it­age sites.

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The Aachen Cathedral, © aachen tourist service e.v.

Aachen Cathed­ral

Ger­many's first UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site

In 1978, the cathed­ral be­came the first ever Ger­man cul­tur­al monu­ment to be des­ig­nated a UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site. Its his­tory dates back to the Em­per­or Char­le­magne.

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Hohenzollernbrücke mit Dom, © Oliver Franke, Tourismus NRW e.V.

Co­logne Cathed­ral

Co­logne Cathed­ral: mag­net for pil­grims and tour­ists

The cathed­ral serves not only as Co­logne’s most vis­ible land­mark; it is also the most pop­u­lar at­trac­tion in Ger­many. A high­light is a trip across its roofs.

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UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein, © Jochen Tack - Stiftung Zollverein

UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site Zollver­ein

From in­dus­tri­al site to UN­ESCO World Her­it­age Site

Pre­vi­ously the site of toils, today Zollver­ein of­fers in­dus­tri­al cul­ture at its best: art, con­certs, fest­ivals and sport­ing op­por­tun­it­ies set against an im­press­ive back­drop.

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360 de­gree pan­or­a­mas

Aachen cathedral inside, © André Menne, Peter Wieler
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Aachen Cathed­ral

Cologne cathedral, © André Menne, Peter Wieler
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Co­logne Cathed­ral

former Benedictine abbey at Corvey, © André Menne, Peter Wieler
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Cor­vey

The Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces in Brühl are two of Germany’s most important examples of Baroque and Rococo architecture., © André Menne, Peter Wieler
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Au­gus­tus­burg and Falken­lust palaces

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, © André Menne, Peter Wieler
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Zollver­ein