Wittlaer on the Rhine: Village Character and Waterworks

Wittlaer is a village on the banks of the Rhine with a distinctly Lower Rhine rural character. Some restaurants have lovely beer gardens with views of the Rhine. The village is also home to evidence of water extraction, St. Remigius Church, and opportunities to explore the area by bike or as a stop on a pilgrimage route. Landscape, history and active exploration thus go hand in hand.

Riverbanks, meadows and pollarded willows

Wittlaer’s character is closely tied to its location on the Rhine and its rural heritage. The beer gardens at some restaurants offer views of the river. At the mouth of the Schwarzbach, meadows lie between Kaiserswerth and Wittlaer, with around 270 pollarded willows, mostly older trees. The approximate number and age of the trees add a distinctive feature to the landscape.

The Duisburg municipal utility’s water protection area in Wittlaer is also part of this landscape: it is largely in its natural state and serves as a protected refuge for numerous animal species.

Those who would like to explore Wittlaer by bike can follow the annual tour organised by the local heritage association “Wir für Wittlaer” (“We for Wittlaer”). It starts at the S-Bahn station in Wittlaer and covers twelve kilometres through Wittlaer and the surrounding area, along attractive roads with little traffic. The route then follows the Rhine via Kaiserswerth back to Wittlaer. Check the organiser for the specific date and route.

The Way of St. James also provides a wider regional route: Düsseldorf-Wittlaer is stop 4 on Stage 4, Variant C, of the Way of St. James pilgrimage route from Dortmund to Aachen. This stage runs from Duisburg to Kaiserswerth. Wittlaer is therefore both a stop on a local cycling tour and a station on a longer pilgrimage route—two different ways to experience the area actively.

Water extraction and industrial heritage

The historic waterworks at Wasserwerksweg 60, 40489 Düsseldorf-Wittlaer, is a complex of buildings dating from 1910 and designed in the style of Rhenish industrial heritage. Steam piston pumps and water extraction equipment are still preserved in their original form. Public access is limited to events; check whether the site is scheduled to open before visiting.

At Wasserwerk 3 in Wittlaer, visitors learn about historical and present-day water extraction. A guided tour begins with a presentation and a short film. This is followed by a tour explaining and showing the route from the well to the filter. For anyone interested in technical processes, this sequence makes the journey of water a tangible subject. Group packages may vary.

Free tours of the Wittlaer and Bockum waterworks are offered several times a year. Dates and registration procedures may vary; check the organiser’s current information if you are planning a tour.

St. Remigius: Architecture and art

St. Remigius is a small, low-profile basilica with a west tower dating from the second half of the 12th century. The set-back choir bay with a semicircular apse dates from the early 13th century. The different construction periods give the church a clearly recognisable historical context: the tower and choir area point to two successive eras.

The artworks at St. Remigius include works by Ewald Mataré from the 1920s and 1930s: a Crucifixion group, an altar cross and a tabernacle. The medieval architecture and the 20th-century works offer two distinct points of cultural and historical interest. Visitors interested in art and history can consider these subjects alongside the landscape and tours when planning their trip.

Choose Wittlaer as your base

Wittlaer has a direct Stadtbahn connection. When choosing accommodation, you can weigh this aspect of the location alongside its village character on the Rhine and your interests in industrial heritage, church art or cycling tours. If you are planning a guided tour or the annual cycling tour, it is worth checking dates and possible changes with the relevant organiser.

Discover more destinations: Garath, Rath, Holthausen, Kalkum, Düsseldorf, Benrath, Angermund.

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