The Nordstädter Bürgerverein (Nordstadt Citizens’ Association) was founded in 1893 with the aim of establishing the Nordpark. While the western part mostly consists of woodland, the eastern part (rising to 273 metres) is more park-like in character. The town of Wuppertal was able to renovate the park step by step from 2009 to 2018 with the support of the Bürgerverein. As a result, the Nordpark is now home to modern-day playgrounds, new ornamental plantings, places to relax, and restored or new viewing points.
The former Gut Mallack (Mallack Estate), which was converted and expanded by the industrialist Hugo Greef into his Bellevue around 1870, can be found at the centre of the park. The building, known as the “Turmterrassen”, was later converted into a restaurant and extended to include a veranda and tower. It is currently undergoing modernisation.
Apart from the avenues of maple and chestnut, impressive sights in the park include above all the avenue of plane trees planted below the “Turmterrassen” in 1902 and the rhododendron grove in the western part of the grounds. But the Nordpark is also characterised by numerous intersecting paths, wider spaces, viewing points (over the Wupper valley) and open areas of meadow with changing plantings and large solitary trees, among them two old sweet chestnut trees.
Numerous monuments and sculptures bear witness to the importance of the park in Wuppertal’s history and to the citizens’ long-standing attachment to their park. The Skywalk, on the other hand, is a very modern addition which crosses over a space with two monuments and a mighty oak tree at the eastern end of the park before opening out to reveal a view towards the town of Schwelm and its Christuskirche (Christ Church).
In 1893, engaged citizens from Barmen and Wichlinghausen recognised the need to become actively involved in maintaining the quality of life in the northern part of Barmen. They therefore founded the Nordstädter Bürgerverein (Nordstadt Citizens’ Association). One of the association’s first projects was the creation of a park on the northern side of the Wupper valley. The association thereby followed the example of the Barmer Verschönerungsverein (“Barmen Enhancement Association”), which had created a large landscape park of high recreational value on the Barmer Südhöhen (southern Barmen hills) 30 years earlier. The Nordpark is thus an outstanding example of civic engagement and as such part of a Wuppertal tradition.
The necessary land was acquired in 1896 thanks to the generous co-operation of sponsors and former owners along with help from the city of Barmen. In contrast to the Barmen Parklands, the forest was the central focus the park. Initially, the transformation into a park was mainly concentrated on the development and expansion of the existing forest. The paths and avenues laid out at the time already led to striking areas and viewing points in the park while also creating links to surrounding residential areas. A central element of the park was the extremely skilful use of attractive aspects of the terrain and its outstanding viewing points.
A circular viewing platform was created on the eastern edge of a slope in 1898, Today, this platform affords a stunning view over Barmen.
The Nordstädter Bürgerverein created a 3.3 hectare game reserve in the valley north of the “Turmterrassen in 1955. The view from the “Turmterrassen” draws the eye downward and across the park. Fields of daffodils below the viewing terraces transform the slope into a sea of yellow flowers in spring.
Rows of trees line some of the paths, among them the maple avenue, the plane tree avenue and the chestnut avenue. They were planted with trees of the same age and species. A row of plane trees (Platanus acerifolia) which have since grown into stately specimens was planted below the “Turmterrassen” in 1902. Their large leaves resemble those of the maple. The thick, often sculptural trunks and the mosaic effect of the flaking barks are particularly striking.
The rhododendron bushes, which were mainly planted in the 1970s, underline the park-like character of the forest. A visit is particularly worthwhile during the flowering season in May.
The city of Wuppertal was able to renovate the park step by step from 2009 to 2018. The striking vistas and viewing points were redesigned and connected by a panoramic path. The highlights and viewing points of the Nordpark are dotted along a path between the Ehrenhain (Grove of Honour) and Skywalk in the east and Kakaoplatz (Cocoa Square) in the west.
The panoramic path leads from the “Turmterrassen” and publicly accessible “Bastion” past intergenerational playgrounds with diverse elements before reaching the Ehrenhain with its memorials and the Skywalk viewing platform – one of the new attractions in the park. This 16-metre viewing platform on one of the almost sheer slopes of the Nordpark stretches out from the forest and broadens into an elliptical platform above the abyss. Visitors can enjoy a fantastic view to the south-east over Schwelm, the Ehrenberg and the Barmer Südhöhen.
The panoramic path runs towards the west under mighty beech trees and avenues alongside the enclosure of fallow deer before crossing Vierwegeplatz (Four-path Square) and reaching a clearing with several views and the Kakaoplatz. The seemingly primitive stone settings and block seats appear to date back to the Neolithic Age while the square’s name derives from a black market located here during the Second World War.
The benches along the paths and wider spaces and above all the deckchairs at the vantage points on the south-facing slopes with their fantastic views are very popular with visitors.
Address:
Mallack 1
42281 Wuppertal
Owner of the Nordpark: City of Wuppertal
Web: https://www.wuppertal.de/tourismus-freizeit/gruenes_wuppertal/parkanlagen/nordpark.php
Opening hours: The park is accessible every day and without time restrictions, all year round
Entrance fees: The park can be visited free of charge
Tourist information:
Restaurant/Café: In the summer months, ice cream parlour with limited opening hours. Restaurant Haus Mallack on the access road.
WC: no
Parking: Car park on the access road. Additional parking spaces are designated (e.g. at weekends).
Benches in the park: yes
Barrier-free access: Not all paths can be used by people with walking disabilities or only with assistance.
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