Description
The Grugapark is a natural oasis in the middle of the Ruhr city of Essen. On around 60 hectares, visitors will find beautiful gardens, sports fields for basketball, volleyball or table tennis, kilometre-long paths for walking or jogging, playgrounds for the little ones, barbecue areas, a health trail, a maze, a rainforest house, animal enclosures, a petting zoo and much more. For years, the park in the middle of the city has been regarded as a place for relaxation, exercise, education and adventure.
Time and again, the Grugapark is also the venue for a wide variety of events. These include cultural events such as concerts and exhibitions, but also light shows and nature experiences.
Depending on the season, the park presents itself in completely different colours. A special highlight in spring are the impressive cherry blossoms, which attract visitors from all over the region.
Historical Information
The name Grugapark derives from its origins, as the grounds were created in 1929 from the first Great Ruhr Horticultural Exhibition (Große Ruhrländische Gartenbau-Ausstellung in German) and reopened the following year as a public park. Completely destroyed in the Second World War, the Grugapark was rebuilt and steadily expanded and repeatedly renovated in the years to come.
Essen-based companies or educational institutions often participate in projects in the park. For example, the Botanical Garden of the University of Duisburg-Essen has been located in the Grugapark since 2010 and the energy company E.ON Ruhrgas also presented the Gaseum in the building of the former Grugabad restaurant for a few years.
Interesting facts
- The day pass at Grugapark Essen is €5 making it one of the 5 cheapest tourist Attractions in North Rhine-Westphalia.
How to get there
Thanks to its central location, the Grugapark can be reached by car, public transport or on foot.
If you are travelling by car, the Grugapark is located directly at the Essen fairgrounds on the A52, exit Rüttenscheid or Margarethenhöhe. The route to the fair and the Grugapark is well signposted throughout the city.
Those travelling by public transport can reach the park via the U11 and U17 underground lines at the Messe Ost/Gruga, Messe West/Süd/Gruga or Margarethenhöhe stops.