Mönchengladbach

Mönchengladbach, city, North Rhine–Westphalia Land (state), western Germany. It lies near the border with the Netherlands, west of Düsseldorf. It developed around a Benedictine monastery (founded in 972, suppressed in 1802), from which the name Mönchengladbach (“Monks’ Gladbach”) is derived, and it was chartered in 1336. For a brief period (1929–33) it united with Rheydt (immediately south) and Odenkirchen to form Gladbach-Rheydt. In 1975 Rheydt was incorporated into Mönchengladbach. Today Mönchengladbach is a textile centre; its municipal museum houses a notable collection of Coptic textiles. The city is also a road, rail, and air hub, and its machinery (especially textile machinery), aeronautical, and cable industries are important to the local economy. Historic buildings include the 13th-century Romanesque cathedral, with an early Gothic choir (attributed to Gerhard von Riehl of Cologne) and a 10th-century crypt, as well as the Baroque town hall (1663; formerly the Benedictine abbey), the Romanesque parish church in the Rheindahlen district, and a 12th-century convent church in the Neuwerk quarter. Educational institutions include the Franciscan Duns Scotus Academy (philosophy and theology), colleges of textile engineering and agriculture, and a school of economics. Mönchengladbach is known for its choral societies. The city has numerous parks, a botanical garden, and several sports arenas. Pop. (2003 est.) 262,391.