Monheim am Rhein: an experience for everyone
Diversity is something that is not only valued but actually practiced in Monheim am Rhein. Whether it’s a matter of citizenship, local traditions, or the way the city is administered: we regard ourselves as a "City for Everyone" where inclusion and equal opportunities are achieved to the fullest extent.
Wide range of barrier-free options
Below is a brief overview of the services and options offered by Monheim am Rhein that are already designed to be barrier-free. They include sights as well as accommodations, restaurants, cafes and shopping facilities.
Naturally, parking facilities are also provided. There are parking spaces for the disabled at the Rheinbogen Landscape Park, in Monheim Mitte, by the eel-fishing boat (the "Aalschokker"), at hotels and at many other points in the urban area, just a short distance away from all the highlights, making them easily accessible.
Model of the old part of town
At the Alter Markt, the old marketplace, in the center of the quaint Altstadt (historic town center), there is a bronze model of Monheim’s old town. The 3D model shows how far the Altsdtadt of today extended at the beginning of the 19th century. It can be explored both visually and by hand.
What is particularly inclusive is the fact that the explanatory text, also cast in bronze, is also in Braille.
Monchronik – the decentralized city museum
The Monchronik is Monheim’s decentralized city museum that is spread across many locations. All its museum sites offer elements for barrier-free discovery. They often have, for example, a "Living Manuscript" – a book whose pictures appear as you turn the pages and which broadcasts information and stories via an audio track.
An excerpt of further barrier-free elements:
Hello, you carnival fools! In the Carnival Museum, a welcoming call resounds from the living pictures, and multilingual cards translate the information panels along the walls into English. The Carnival Museum features a wheelchair elevator, making the entire museum space threshold-free.
At Hillas Leseschuppen (Hilla’s Reading Shed), old books and dried herb twigs invite visitors to touch them, and an audio track takes visitors back to Ulla Hahn’s childhood with the sounds of chickens and the farmyard. Hilla’s Reading Shed offers threshold-free access.
Ahoy, there! In the Eel Fishing Museum, a talking pot tells visitors how the sailors cooked and lived. The area around the Aalschokker eel fishing boat and a lot of information panels are accessible by wheelchair. However, due to the way the boat is constructed, access the deck is accessed via a ramp with a steep slope, followed by a narrow staircase leading into the boat’s interior.
Self-guided city tour – the Monchronik app
With just a few clicks, you can download the Monchronik app onto your smartphone; modern Monheim even offers free WiFi! With the aid of this easy-to-use app, Moni, the virtual goose, will guide you on a circular route to all the Monchronik sites via an augmented reality display and along the road markings in the shape of blue goose feet.
You can adjust the pace of the tour to suit the needs of your group, and get exciting extra information from the app about the highlights such as the buildings or works of art that you come across along the way.
City Tours – an experience for everyone
The team at the Tourist Information in Monheim Mitte will tailor a group tour to your wishes and needs. We are happy to organize a tour where shorter distances are covered, and special consideration is given to those using wheelchairs, walkers, or individuals with limited fitness.
For people with intellectual disabilities, tours can be adapted to individual needs.
You can find thematic ideas for group tours and information on bookings HERE.
Info Points convey knowledge about art
Art in public spaces can be seen at many locations in Monheim am Rhein, but what are the stories behind the “Leda” sculpture and the Monheim Geyser, for example? The Info Point pillars provide viewers with information about the respective work and the artist behind it.
On each pillar, there is a short text in German and English. A QR code on each pillar also leads to more detailed information available at www.monheim.de. That’s where you can also find sign language videos, audio descriptions and texts in simple German on all the works of art. The text on the pillars is also shown in braille for blind people. In addition, a small bronze relief enables people to feel the work of art. The reliefs were created by artist Felix Brörken.
The first Info Points can be found by the Monheim Geyser, the “Leda” sculpture, the artwork “Sounds", the Franz Boehm memorial and the sculpture called “Scream for Freedom.” More pillars will follow in the coming year.
Piwipper Böötchen ferry and the jetty
Come aboard and experience a short trip on the Rhine! The Piwipper passenger ferry takes you to the Dormagen side of the Rhine in just 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the traffic. Directly at the jetty, the Landgasthaus Piwipp inn invites you to enjoy the wonderful view of the fast-flowing stream on the summer terrace or indoors.
The Piwipper Böötchen ferry can be used with rollators and wheelchairs and also allows bicycles and baby carriages to be taken along. Both mooring areas are equipped accordingly.
For more information and operating times, please visit the Piwipper Böötchen page.
Please note: the jetty is also designed to be accessible by wheelchair. However, low water levels in the Rhine may cause the jetty to tilt, which means that some mobility-impaired persons may prefer to rely on the assistance of their companion.
Inclusion bikes – cycling made easy
These barrier-free bicycles with an electric drive have two comfortable seats with armrests and backrests at the front and two at the back. The pedaling attendant, who controls not only the bike but also the electric drive, sits at the front on the left. The three other passengers can also pedal or place their feet on a small footrest. All passengers can buckle up with a two-point seat belt, and there are two sunshades for hot days. The seats can be turned outwards, so that it is even possible to get on the bicycle with ease from a rollator walker or wheelchair.
Each seat has a handlebar to hold on to. Only the person sitting in the front, on the left, can steer, but everyone is allowed to ring the bell!
Rental service and contact:
Bike and go-kart rental Giebner
Am Vogelort, im Landschaftspark Rheinbogen
Tel.: +49 (172) 24 10 332
Email: Roland.Giebner@t-online.de
The bicycles can be inspected in advance. Please contact Mr. Giebner to arrange an appointment.
Accommodations
Some of Monheim’s accommodations offer infrastructure and services that are especially designed for people with disabilities. We currently recommend the Achat Hotel in the Berliner quarter, the Hey Lou Hotel Monheim am Rhein on the Rhine Promenade, and the Hotel am Wald at the entrance to the town. If you have any questions, the hotel teams would be happy to help you.
Click here to go to the overview page of all of Monheim’s accommodations.
Sign language
You can find videos of the city of Monheim am Rhein in German Sign Language here. All the videos can be downloaded as MP4 files and the subtitles as SRT files on the city’s home page, from the "Deutsche Gebärdensprache" (German Sign Language) page.
The signed videos can be viewed on YouTube using the following links.
Would you like a specific video in German Sign Language? Then please contact us at inklusion@monheim.de.
Our leisure time tip with German Sign Language:
Many municipal events, such as the city festival, have sign language interpreters on the stage. Please e-mail us at citymanagement@monheim.de if you are interested in a particular event.
Barrier-free toilets
There are many barrier-free toilets in the urban area. And the list is constantly growing!
Please note that most of these toilets can only be visited during the opening hours of the respective facility.
Barrier-free toilets in Monheim Mitte:
• Rathauscenter shopping arcade, Ingeborg-Friebe-Platz 21
• Restaurant Noah’s & Zoe’s Place, Ingeborg-Friebe-Platz 27
• Café Extrablatt, Ingeborg-Friebe-Platz 29
• Moki-Zentrum Monheim, Heinestraße 6
• Eiscafé Dolomiti, Rathausplatz 6
• City Hall, Rathausplatz 2 (only with a Euro key)
• Monheimer Tor shopping mall, Ingeborg-Friebe-Platz 11, on the first floor opposite Edeka (currently closed due to reconstruction)
Barrier-free toilets in the Altstadt, the old part of town:
• Public toilet in the Rheinbogen Landscape Park, next to Giebner’s go-kart rental service, Am Vogelort
• Restaurant Pfannenhof, Turmstrasse 2–6
• Restaurant Ohters, Turmstrasse 20
• Restaurant Culinarium, Freiheit 7
• Hotel-Restaurant Zum Vater Rhein, An d'r Kapell 4
Barrier-free toilets in Baumberg
• Moki-Zentrum Baumberg, Geschwister-Scholl-Strasse 57
• Restaurant Rheinterrassen, Klappertorstraße 47
• Municipal cemetery Baumberg, Akazienweg 1a
• Roman Fort at Haus Bürgel, Urdenbacher Weg
Barrier-free toilets in the Berlin quarter:
• Kaufland, Friedrichstrasse 20
• Haus der Chancen (House of Opportunities), Friedenauer Strasse 17c
• Library, Tempelhofer Strasse 13
• Volkshochschule (adult education center), Tempelhofer Strasse 15
Further barrier-free toilets in the urban area:
• All-weather swimming pool Mona Mare, Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse 2 (near the Berlin quarter)
• Forest cemetery Monheim, Knipprather Strasse 105 (on the edge of Knipprath Woods)