Central Eastern Europe ESSEN 2018 Essen is a German city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is on the Ruhr River and it is near Cologne, Duisburg and Bochum. Together with Dortmund, Essen is the biggest city of the Ruhr area with its 5,000,000 inhabitants. Essen is often called the shopping city (Einkaufsstadt) because there are so many malls and shops in it. Essen Ruhr Germany 2018 Essen is also known for its impact on the arts through the respected Folkwang University of the Arts, its Zollverein School of Management and Design, and the Red Dot industrial product design award. Opened in 1913, the then-New Synagogue served as the central meeting place of Essen's pre-war Jewish community. The building ranks as one of the largest and most impressive testimonies of Jewish culture in pre-war Germany. The Handelshof Hotel with modified coat of arms and unofficial motto. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Founded around 845, Essen remained a small town within the sphere of influence of an important ecclesiastical principality (Essen Abbey) until the onset of industrialization. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen Minster overshadowed by the town hall. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Alte Kirche (Old Church, built 1887), Altenessen. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Alte Kirche (Old Church, built 1887), Altenessen. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Alte Kirche (Old Church, built 1887), Altenessen. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Grillo-Theater is a theatre in Essen, Germany. Named after the industrialist Friedrich Grillo, who made the building possible, it opened on 16 September 1892 with Lessing's drama Minna von Barnhelm. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. The former collegiate church of Essen Abbey and nowadays cathedral of the Bishop of Essen is a Gothic hall church made from light sandstone. The first church on the premises dates back to between 845 and 870; the current church was constructed after a former church had burnt down in 1275. The cathedral is located in the centre of the city which evolved around it. It is not spectacular in appearance and the adjacent church St. Johann Baptist, which is located directly within the pedestrian precinct, is often mistakenly referred to as the cathedral. The cathedral treasury, however, ranks amongst the most important in Germany since only few art works have been lost over the centuries. The most precious exhibit, located within the cathedral, is the Golden Madonna of Essen (around 980), the oldest known sculpture of the Madonna and the oldest free-standing sculpture north of the Alps. Essen Minster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen Minster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen Minster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. The important westwork and crypt have survived from Ottonian times. Essen North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Essen Minster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018. Other exhibits include the alleged child crown of Emperor Otto III, the eldest preserved seven-branched Christian candelabrum and several other art works from Ottonian times. Cathedral of the Bishop of Essen. Essen Minster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, july 2018.