Viersen

Viersen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It serves as the administrative seat of the Kreis Viersen and is part of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. The town lies near the border with the Netherlands, northwest of Düsseldorf and west of Mönchengladbach, with rail and road connections to the region.

The municipality comprises several districts, including a historic town center with a market square and older structures, as well as newer residential areas and surrounding countryside characterized by farmland and woodland on the western edge of the Ruhr area.

Viersen has medieval origins and developed as a local market town. In the modern era it grew with regional modernization and became an administrative and commercial hub for the surrounding communities.

The economy centers on small and medium-sized enterprises in services and light industry, supported by logistics and cross-border economic activity with the Netherlands. The town is connected by regional rail and road networks to nearby cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Cultural life in Viersen includes traditional town events, churches, parks, and cultural institutions serving residents and visitors. The town provides primary and secondary education, with vocational training facilities and access to higher education in the wider Ruhr-Rhine area.

Viersen maintains international ties through town twinning arrangements with several European municipalities, reflecting its participation in intercultural and administrative exchanges.