Grevenbroich

Did you ever hear of a town called “Capital of Energy”? We are standing in Grevenbroich, a town known by this unusual nickname. Grevenbroich is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It sits along the Erft River. It’s a short trip, about 15 km, from both Neuss and Mönchengladbach. Grevenbroich earned its energetic title from the Frimmersdorf Power Station. This power station, sadly, was known as one of Europe’s least carbon-efficient. Grevenbroich isn’t just about energy production. It’s a town of diverse districts, each with its own story to tell. The town center and surrounding areas like Allrath and Elsen use the postal code 41515. If you’re sending a postcard from Busch, Hemmerden, or Wevelinghoven, you’ll need 41516. And for those in Frimmersdorf or Gustorf, it’s 41517. Remember the comedian Hape Kerkeling and his character Horst Schlämmer? Well, Grevenbroich is Horst’s fictional hometown. He even claimed Grevenbroich would be the new capital of Germany under his rule. Imagine that! Grevenbroich also has a historical side. Did you know it was once part of the County of Kessel? In the late 13th century, the Counts of Kessel transformed this marshy land into the town we see today. They built a fortified castle on a gravel bank, surrounded by marshes and the Erft River for protection. This “Grafen Bruch,” or Count’s Marsh, became Grevenbroich. In 1307, Grevenbroich was awarded to the Counts, and later Dukes, of Jülich. The castle was transformed into a stately palace. It became a place where the Jülich Regional Parliament would meet. Today, the “Old Palace” still stands in the city center. It’s a local hub, offering dining and spaces for meetings. It solidifies Grevenbroich’s identity as a “Palace City.” Grevenbroich has grown significantly over the centuries. In 1767, there were only 330 inhabitants. By 1871, that number rose to 1,325, and in 1900 it reached 3,410. This growth was fueled by the arrival of the railway, which brought industries like textiles, metal, food production, and even lignite mining. In 1975, several smaller towns and communities merged to form the Grevenbroich we know today, a bustling town of over 64,000 residents.