Adolf-Vorwerk-Park

In 1895, Adolf Vorwerk had a private summer house built to the south of the Toelleturm for his family. It later became the main residence of his unmarried daughter Emma (Adolf-Vorwerk-Straße 23). The garden at “Villa Emma” (occupied until 1959 and later demolished) was landscaped and planted picturesquely with a wide variety of deciduous and coniferous trees. In order to extend the villa garden, Adolf Vorwerk acquired a former quarry from which building material for the villa district “Am Toelleturm” had previously been extracted. Together with a large area surrounding the quarry, Vorwerk had a total area of about 30 hectares at his disposal.

This former quarry and the adjacent area were transformed into a park designed by Vorwerk, who died in 1925. Today, it is known as the “Vorwerk Park”. The park’s landscape design incorporated the terrain’s already existing considerable differences in height, the rocks, stream and cultural landscape (forest, meadows, wetlands).

The Vorwerk Park can be accessed from the Barmer Wald and Barmer Anlagen by way of an arcade. The date on the steps, 1895, is a clear indication of when it was built. This arcade, which is open on all sides, was constructed before the quarry, whereby the aim of Adolf Vorwerk’s design here was to create a transition from his villa garden to the Barmer Wald.

The park is located on three different levels. An extensive garden entrance with expansive lawns, an orchard, old trees and rhododendrons and the restored arcade opens out to give a view into the low-lying Murmelbach valley. The 20-metre rock face of the former quarry forms the centre of the park. Several viewing platforms to the side and above it form sheltered spots with sweeping views of the Bergisches Land, from which the park seems to grow like an organic extension. A magnificent rhododendron landscape, a water-lily pond and a southward-flowing stream can be found at the foot of the rock face. The third level is characterised by the Murmelbach valley waterscape with its damned ponds, waterfall and historical grotto.

The extraordinary stock of rhododendrons was co-founded by the well-known Wuppertal cultivator and nursery owner Georg Arends.

Damage caused by the Second World War was cleared during restoration of the park by Adolf Vorwerk’s son, Wilhelm Vorwerk, and various changes to the design were also made. The “rhododendron ravine” to the south of the rock garden, for example, can be traced back to his initiative, as can the island pond. These elements of design implemented by the Vorwerk family after the Second World War were a continuation of Adolf Vorwerk’s work. Today, the large collection of rhododendrons in particular gives the overall impression of a colourful landscape park.

The history of the park is closely linked to the development of the “Am Toelleturm” villa district. More villas were built at the beginning of the 20th century on the eastern side of Adolf-Vorwerk-Straße according to plans by architect Carl Kuebart. The eleveted location of these properties was used to create attractive views from the villas to the Barmer Wald and Vorwerk Park as well as far-reaching views over the Murmelbach valley. The upward view from the Vorwerk Park and Murmelbach valley, in turn, was of the composition formed by the backdrop of trees of the historical villa gardens and, in part, of the villas themselves on the higher level. The villa gardens are partly interconnected by paths and there are also private entrances to the Vorwerk Park. Villa residents were thus allowed to enter and use the private park. In this respect, there is a relationship between these villas with their valuable gardens and the Vorwerk Park in terms of spatial planning, design and function.

The Vorwerk Park has been open to the public since 2000. Today, it is maintained and developed by a foundation, which also employs a gardener for this purpose.

Adolf-Vorwerk-Park