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Viersen

Coordinates: 51°15′22″N 6°23′50″E / 51.25611°N 6.39722°E / 51.25611; 6.39722
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Viersen
Town
Flag of Viersen
Flag
Coat of arms of Viersen
Coat of arms
Location of Viersen within Viersen district
Viersen (district)North Rhine-WestphaliaKleve (district)Wesel (district)DuisburgKrefeldRhein-Kreis NeussMönchengladbachHeinsberg (district)NetherlandsNettetalTönisvorstGrefrathNiederkrüchtenBrüggenViersenWillichKempenSchwalmtal
Viersen is located in Germany
Viersen
Viersen
Viersen is located in North Rhine-Westphalia
Viersen
Viersen
Coordinates: 51°15′22″N 6°23′50″E / 51.25611°N 6.39722°E / 51.25611; 6.39722
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionDüsseldorf
DistrictViersen
Subdivisions4
Government
 • Mayor (2020–25) Sabine Anemüller[1] (SPD)
Area
 • Total91.07 km2 (35.16 sq mi)
Elevation
40 m (130 ft)
Population
 (2023-12-31)[2]
 • Total79,250
 • Density870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
41747–41751
Dialling codes0 21 62
Vehicle registrationVIE, KK
Websitewww.viersen.de

Viersen (German pronunciation: [ˈfiːɐ̯zn̩]; Limburgish: Veeëse) is the capital of the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Geography

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Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km east of Venlo (Netherlands).

Division of the town

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The city of Viersen is made up of three (formerly independent) cities: Süchteln, Dülken and Viersen, which combined in 1970, and one former village, Boisheim, which combined with Viersen in 1968.

Politics

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The current mayor of Viersen is Sabine Anemüller of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) since 2015. The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:

Candidate Party First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Christoph Hopp Christian Democratic Union 11,438 40.5 11,572 49.2
Sabine Anemüller Social Democratic Party 10,965 38.8 11,955 50.8
Martina Maaßen Alliance 90/The Greens 3,418 12.1
Simon Männersdörfer The Left 1,098 3.9
Frank a Campo Free Democratic Party 935 3.3
Siegfried Martin National Democratic Party 404 1.4
Valid votes 28,258 98.2 23,527 99.5
Invalid votes 521 1.8 118 0.5
Total 28,779 100.0 23,645 100.0
Electorate/voter turnout 63,176 45.6 63,169 37.4
Source: City of Viersen (1st round, 2nd round)

City council

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Results of the 2020 city council election.

The Viersen city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:

Party Votes % +/- Seats +/-
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 11,806 41.9 Decrease 1.9 22 Decrease 2
Social Democratic Party (SPD) 6,669 23.7 Decrease 2.3 13 Decrease 2
Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) 5,491 19.5 Increase 7.9 11 Increase 5
The Left (Die Linke) 1,417 5.0 Decrease 0.5 3 ±0
Free Democratic Party (FDP) 1,343 4.8 Decrease 0.1 3 ±0
Alternative for Germany (AfD) 1,142 4.1 New 2 New
Die PARTEI 195 0.7 New 0 New
National Democratic Party (NPD) 107 0.4 Decrease 1.0 0 Decrease 1
Valid votes 28,170 98.0
Invalid votes 584 2.0
Total 28,754 100.0 54 Decrease 2
Electorate/voter turnout 63,176 45.5 Increase 2.1
Source: City of Viersen

Economy

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The company Mars Incorporated (chocolate bars) is situated in one of Viersen's industrial districts named Dülken-Mackenstein.

Kaiser's Tengelmann AG [de] (a big supermarkets chain in Germany) had his headquarter in Viersen, until it was closed in 2010.

Cable manufacturer SAB Bröckskes employs 550 people (430 of them in Viersen-Süchteln).[3]

Bismarck Tower

Culture

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Recurring events

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  • Viersen Jazz Festival (International Jazz Festival in Viersen's Festival Hall) 4th weekend each September.[4]
  • The World Championships of Carom billiards take place in Viersen's Festival Hall. March
  • Big Carnival Parades in all 3 city parts. The one in Dülken is one of the biggest and most traditional Parades in North Rhine-Westphalia. February
  • The Dülkener Schöppenmarkt, a type of flea/junk market, which takes place on the day after the last Carnival parade, is one of Germany's biggest. February
  • Big free flea market in Viersen's pedestrian zone, where only children are allowed to sell.[5] Biggest market of this type in Germany. Summer
  • "Viersen blüht" (Viersen is blooming) is a voluntary initiative which places arrangements and sculptures of flowers all over the city's pedestrian zone. Summer
  • International Biker Meeting, organized by the local biker-club "MC Viersen 1980 e.V.". 2nd weekend each September
  • Big kite-flying-festival. Autumn


Viersen sculpture collection
Erwin Heerich: Monument

Main sights

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Transport

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Viersen is connected to the region by a dense bus network and Viersen station. The station is served by various local and regional rail lines.

Notable people

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Twin towns – sister cities

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See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Viersen is twinned with:[6]

References

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  1. ^ Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 30 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2023 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  3. ^ Portrait (pdf)
  4. ^ www.jazzfestival-viersen.de
  5. ^ viersen.de
  6. ^ "Partnerstädte". viersen.de (in German). Viersen. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
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