Leverkusen is a large industrial city associated mainly with football and the pharmaceutical company Bayer. There are several interesting museums, a zoo, and the Bay Arena for football fans.
Until the 19th century, the area of today's Leverkusen was rural. There were villages and noble estates here. One of them was the Morsbroich Castle, which is now turned into the Morsbroich Museum. A collection of contemporary art is on display in the baroque residence surrounded by a park.
During the industrial revolution, Leverkusen began to develop as a center of the chemical and engineering industry. Workers' housing estates were established here, which today are an example of urban architecture from that period. To preserve the industrial heritage of the city, the Freudenthaler Sensenhammer Industry Museum was established.
Among the highlights of Leverkusen is the Reuschenberg Zoo, which is home to animals from all over the world. The Japanese Garden, established in 1913, is also a good place for a walk.
