Celebrating 50 Years of Twinning: Bracknell to Leverkusen!
25th June 2024 Posted in Council News
Members of the Bracknell Twinning Association, Bracknell residents and Bracknell Town Mayor, Councillor Mary Baker, visited our twin town of Leverkusen in Germany last weekend. Here you can read the Town Mayor’s diary of the exciting visit!
After an eventful journey on Eurostar that involved a delay, we found ourselves spending our first night in Brussels courtesy of Eurostar. We reached Düsseldorf the following morning and were greeted by our hosts at the state Parliament where we met local politicians. We enjoyed our tour of the old town centre in the afternoon which had been invaded by football fans, all well-behaved and cheerful, and then had a boat trip on the Rhine.
Saturday morning was spent at the Bayer Leverkusen football stadium. We had an excellent guide and had a fascinating time. The facilities were exquisite and the club was still enjoying the success of the 2023/24 season when they were unbeaten German champions.
Cologne was our destination on Sunday and we spent time in the cathedral which is known for its Gothic architecture. It is the tallest, twin-spired church in the world.
Monday started with a visit to Bracknell Square in Leverkusen, with its traditional red British postbox and phone booth. The deputy mayor made a speech and we enjoyed transforming the booth into a community library. We each donated a book in English and our German hosts added German books.
To round off a wonderful holiday we were invited to spend the evening at Morsbroich Castle. After a buffet dinner, we celebrated 50 years of twinning between Bracknell and Leverkusen, and gifts were exchanged.
The last morning was spent at Leverkusen station saying goodbye to our hosts. The twinning holiday was a wonderful experience thanks to the hospitality and generosity of our hosts. Help from young people with our luggage made the trip home seamless and pleasant. Thanks to the Twinning Team for organising the exchange and let’s look forward to the next 50 years!
