Monheim am Rhein
Monheim am Rhein () is a town on the right (eastern) bank of the river Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Monheim belongs to the district of Mettmann – with the southern suburbs of Düsseldorf to the north, and the Bergisches Land to the south. It consists of the city districts (from north to south) Baumberg (about one third) and Monheim (two thirds). Adjacent cities and districts. The following cities and districts border Monheim am Rhein: to the north Düsseldorf, to the east Langenfeld (also part of the district of Mettmann), to the south Leverkusen and (both divided by  the river Rhine) Cologne to the southwest, and Dormagen to the west (part of the district of Neuss). History. Monheim has approximately 850 years of recorded history. It was first documented in 1150 as a fishermen's village in the Grafschaft (Earldom) Berg. It became the administrative centre for the surrounding villages (including many of the villages that now form Düsseldorf) in 1363, and stayed in that position until Napoleon formed the Rhine Confederation in 1806. Monheim, Baumberg and Hitdorf were then combined into a municipal corporation. Monheim gained city status in 1960, ten years after it finally incorporated the  neighbouring villages Baumberg and Hitdorf. At the end of 1974 Monheim was incorporated by Düsseldorf as part of a major municipal corporation reform. After a successful complaint in the federal state's constitutional court in Münster, the city became independent again on 1 July 1976, but lost Hitdorf to Leverkusen. Since 1994 the official city name has been "Monheim am Rhein". Transport. Monheim is part of both of the public transport associations Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr and the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg, situated on their borders. There are several bus lines running between the city districts, neighbouring towns, and the closest S -Bahn railway station on the border with Langenfeld. Many of Monheim's residents are commuters to nearby Düsseldorf (20 minutes) and Cologne (30 minutes). The A59 is connected to Monheim, as is the A542 which connects with the nearby A3 and A1. The town is in the vicinity of both Düsseldorf Airport and the Cologne Bonn Airport. Twin towns – sister cities. Monheim am Rhein is twinned with: