23rd Leverkusen History Festival on Heritage Day

Heritage Day in Leverkusen-Opladen

The Leverkusen History Festival has been the City of Leverkusen's response to the nationwide Heritage Day since 2004. On Sunday, September 13, 2026, the 23rd edition will take place at Villa Römer — House of City History in Leverkusen-Opladen. The event is organized by the Opladen Historical Society (OGV) together with the Lower Monument Authority Leverkusen and other co-organizers.

Motto 2026: "NetzWERKE: Monuments & Infrastructure"

The nationwide motto for Heritage Day 2026 is: "NetzWERKE: Monuments & Infrastructure". It draws attention to the infrastructural monuments that connect cities and regions – bridges, waterworks, train stations, power lines, old workshops. In Leverkusen, with its Bayer industrial history and Opladen's historical railway location, the theme is rich – the History Festival addresses it with lectures, city tours, and exhibition contributions.

Program in Detail

• Lectures on the Heritage Day theme – Historians, monument conservators, and building researchers will illuminate Leverkusen's infrastructure monuments at Villa Römer
• City tours – guided tours through Opladen and the surrounding area focusing on historically significant industrial buildings
• Public viewing of Villa Römer – a rare opportunity to see the entire house, including rooms normally not accessible
• Guided tours of current exhibitions at the OGV Museum
• Market of Opportunities – citizens' initiatives, local history societies, and cultural organizations present themselves
• Concerts – musical accompaniment in the courtyard and rooms of the Villa
• Cafeteria and snacks – catering all day long

Villa Römer — House of City History

Villa Römer at Haus-Vorster Straße 6 in Leverkusen-Opladen is home to the Opladen Historical Society and houses the House of City History – Leverkusen's central city history museum and society headquarters. The villa itself is a monument: a historic residential building that now hosts lectures, exhibitions, and events like the History Festival. Thus, the History Festival is also "in a monument" in the truest sense of the word.

Patron and Sponsors

The Patron is Lord Mayor Stefan Hebbel. The main sponsor is VR Bank eG Bergisch Gladbach-Leverkusen. The City of Leverkusen supports the festival organizationally through the Lower Monument Authority, which is itself a co-organizer.

Leverkusen-Opladen — Historical District

Opladen is a historic district in the north of Leverkusen, which only became part of Leverkusen in 1975 – until then, Opladen was an independent city. A railway hub, a neighboring city to the Bayer works, with a rich industrial heritage. The Opladen City Museum, the historic old town, and the Bahnstadt area (former railway workshops) are all venues that can be featured on Heritage Day. The History Festival makes Villa Römer the center of this tour.