Essen – Burgplatz (DE) 2000

 

The “Burgplatz” is marking the historical center of Essen. More than 1.000 years of urban history are are resting here in the ground. Nevertheless in the recent town not much value is set on it. The shopping street Kettwiger Straße bypasses the place straightway and people only realize it as a small green spot.

Whithin the last 150 years the Burgplatz has been rearranged repeatedly, last in the eighties. In former times it changed from a green, shady place with trees to a representative open place for military deployment and at last became a parking place in the fifties.

After the successfull community planning process about the Berliner Platz in 1999 the city council of Essen arranged another one for the Burgplatz in March 2000.

One main result was that prominent attention was collectively paid to the historic heritage of this place for the urban development of Essen. The results give an unique chance not just the Burgplatz ut the complete centre for enriching its social, cultural, economic and commercial potential and to use the place as a catalyst of an extensive urban renewal.