Where the Rhine leaves Germany to divide into two rivers in the Netherlands lies the city of Kleve.
From afar, the Schwanenburg, the landmark of the former ducal and spa town, points the way to Kleve. The city rises proudly above the countryside between the Rhine and the Reichswald forest on a steep hill.
In the Lower Rhine polder landscape, the wide lowlands of the Rhine, which has frequently changed its riverbed here, are bordered on both sides by gently rolling wooded hills. These hills are remnants from the ice age.
On the ridge that accompanies the river on the left bank of the Rhine from Xanten to Nijmegen, the Schwanenburg is located on a steep hill. This "cliff", the steep slope of the castle hill, gave first the castle and finally also the town the name Kleve (Kleve=Kliff).
Neighboring towns and communities: City of Emmerich, City of Goch, City of Kalkar, Municipality of Bedburg-Hau,
Municipality of Kranenburg, City of Nijmegen (NL)
Information about Kleve and its surroundings can be found under the following links: Tourism Kleve, Kleve
Kleve's landmark, the Schwanenburg, dominates the silhouette of the town. A swan crowns the top of the tower and refers to the legend of the Swan Knights. Today it houses the Kleve district court.
In the 17th century, Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen designed his residence town and the surrounding area into a remarkable park landscape.
Kleve Zoo is a small zoo with a focus on mostly old and endangered domestic animal breeds. However, other endangered animal species can also be found there. Since June 2022, there has been a master plan that aims to develop the zoo into a modern nature and species conservation center. Over 40 different projects are planned and are gradually being implemented
The moated castle near Kleve is one of the most important neo-Gothic buildings in NRW. It houses extensive collections of modern art by the brothers Hans and Franz Joseph van der Grinten. With almost 5,000 works by Joseph Beuys, it houses the world's largest collection of the artist's work.
