Wesel (Germany North Rhine-Westphalia)

Wesel is a Rhine River cruise port and city in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia/NRW state (Urban district) with population around 60,000. The town is actually located at the confluence of two rivers (Lippe and Rhine).

The town grew from a Franconian estate and was first recorded in the mid-8th century. It became part of the Duchy of Cleves (1092-1795, state of Holy Roman Empire / 800-1806) in the early-12th century. Wessel became a Hanseatic city in the mid-15th century. Within the Cleves Duchy, in Lower Rhine, Wesel was the second by important commercial town (after Koln/Cologne) serving as a clearing station for transshipment and trade.

During WW2 (1939-1945), the city was heavily bombed by the Allied forces (mainly by the British). At the end of the war (February 16, 17 and 19, 1945), ~97% of all buildings were destroyed by air-burst bombs, and from ~25,000 citizens (in 1939), its population was reduced to under 2,000.

Buildings and places of interest in the city of Wesel include Berliner Tor (early-18th century fortress), Willibrordi-Dom (cathedral), Zitadelle (citadel / fortified town area), Auesee (man-made bathing lake).

The Port's locode is DEWES. The world's largest river cruise company - VIKING, has its own/privately-owned dock in downtown Wessel.