Kreis Mettmann

Kreis Mettmann
Name	Kreis Mettmann
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Capital	Mettmann
Area km2	407.09
Population	499,000 (approx.)
Density km2	1226
Established	1975 (current borders)
Car sign	ME

Kreis Mettmann is a rural district in the Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, centered on the town of Mettmann. The district lies between the Ruhr area and the Rhineland, adjoining Düsseldorf, Cologne, Wuppertal, and other municipalities. It forms part of the larger Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region and has close administrative and cultural ties to nearby cities and institutions.

History

The area of the district has roots reaching back to Roman Limes Germanicus, with archaeological links to Cologne, Xanten, Bonn, Neuss, and Trier. In the Middle Ages the territory was influenced by the Electorate of Cologne, Duchy of Berg, County of Mark, Prince-Bishopric of Münster, and later came under Prussia after the Congress of Vienna. Industrialization connected the district to the Rhine Province and the emerging networks of Rhenish Railways, influencing migration from Silesia, Westphalia, Bohemia, and Prague in the 19th century. Administrative reforms in the 20th century, particularly under the North Rhine-Westphalia reform and municipal consolidations, produced the modern district boundaries during the 1960s and 1970s, aligning it with regional plans from Düsseldorf Government and national policy from Federal Republic of Germany institutions.

Geography

The district occupies a transitional landscape between the Lower Rhine Bay and the Bergisches Land, featuring the Neandertal valley, limestone outcrops, and river corridors including the Rhine tributaries. Neighboring jurisdictions include the cities of Düsseldorf, Essen, Wuppertal, Leverkusen, and the districts of Rhein-Kreis Neuss and Oberbergischer Kreis. Protected areas and nature reserves link to networks like Natura 2000 and regional conservation efforts associated with European Environment Agency designations. The climatic regime fits the temperate oceanic pattern reported by Deutscher Wetterdienst, with influences from the North Sea and continental airflows.

Demographics

Population centers include the towns of Mettmann, Ratingen, Velbert, Haan, Hilden, Heiligenhaus, Wülfrath, and Erkrath, each showing varied growth patterns similar to the urban agglomerations of Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund, and Cologne. Migration trends echo broader movements studied by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany and Landesbetrieb Information und Technik Nordrhein-Westfalen, with labor mobility toward Rhein-Ruhr job markets like Duisburg and Dortmund. Religious and cultural institutions include parishes connected to the Roman Catholic Church (Germany), congregations of the Evangelical Church in Germany, and communities tied to immigrant origins such as Turkey, Poland, Italy, and Greece. Education and research links involve pupils commuting to universities like Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, University of Cologne, RWTH Aachen University, and University of Duisburg-Essen.

Administration and Politics

Local administration is organized into municipal councils and the district council interacting with state bodies like the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia and federal ministries such as the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. Political representation has involved parties including CDU (Germany), SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, Free Democratic Party (Germany), and Alternative for Germany. The district collaborates with metropolitan authorities like the Metropole Ruhr and participates in inter-municipal projects with organizations such as the Regionalverband Ruhr and the City of Düsseldorf administration. Courts and legal administration link to the Local Court of Mettmann and higher courts in Düsseldorf and Wuppertal.

Economy and Infrastructure

Economic activity includes small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors comparable to those in North Rhine-Westphalia such as mechanical engineering, chemical suppliers, logistics, and services, with corporate ties to firms in Düsseldorf, Essen, Bayer AG, ThyssenKrupp, and Henkel. Industrial parks and technology centers coordinate with chambers like the IHK Düsseldorf and employment agencies under the Federal Employment Agency (Germany). Retail and commercial hubs connect to shopping centers frequented by residents of Ratingen and Velbert, while energy and utilities interface with providers such as Stadtwerke Düsseldorf and regional grids managed by transmission operators like Amprion. Infrastructure investments draw funding frameworks from the European Union cohesion programs and state-level initiatives by North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Culture and Landmarks

Cultural landmarks include the Neanderthal Museum in the Neandertal valley, linking prehistoric finds to exhibitions comparable to collections in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich. Historic churches and manor houses align with regional heritage agencies like Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz and connect to festivals and theaters in Düsseldorf, Wuppertal, and Essen. The district participates in cultural networks with institutions such as the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Museum Kunstpalast, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Wuppertal Opera, and events like the Rhine-Ruhr Music Festival and regional carnivals akin to those in Cologne. Parks and recreational sites correspond to conservation and tourism programs promoted by Tourismus NRW and regional visitor services.

Transport

Transport infrastructure links to the Rhine-Ruhr transit systems including Deutsche Bahn, regional S-Bahn lines serving Düsseldorf, the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn, proximity to Düsseldorf Airport, and connections to autobahns such as the A3, A46, A52, and A44. Local public transport integrates buses operated by companies coordinated by the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr and regional rail services feeding into long-distance corridors to Cologne and Frankfurt. Cycling and pedestrian initiatives mirror programs in Fahrradboom movements and federal transport policy by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

Notable People

Persons associated with the area have professional links to universities and cultural institutions including scholars from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, artists featured in the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, athletes who played for clubs like VfL Bochum, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Borussia Dortmund, and scientists connected to institutes such as the Max Planck Society and Fraunhofer Society. Political figures have ties to parties like CDU (Germany) and SPD, while business leaders interact with corporations like Bayer AG, Henkel, and ThyssenKrupp. Creative professionals maintain networks with publishing houses in Frankfurt am Main and media outlets such as Westdeutscher Rundfunk and WDR.

Category:Districts of North Rhine-Westphalia