The independent history of Porz am Rhein lasted just 23 years. Granted town status in 1951, Porz became part of Cologne on 1 January 1975 through municipal incorporation, bringing the population of the city of Cologne to over one million. Since then, the former Porz districts, together with Poll, which had already been incorporated into Cologne in 1888, have formed the Borough of Porz (Stadtbezirk Porz).
Located southeast of Cologne’s city centre, Porz is Cologne’s largest borough by area, covering approximately 79 square kilometres. Stretching around 6 by 13 kilometres along the right bank of the Rhine, it is home to more than 117,000 people across 16 districts.
Today, Porz is an important industrial and economic hub, with major commercial areas and renowned research institutions. These include Cologne Bonn Airport, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) of the European Space Agency (ESA). The engine manufacturer DEUTZ AG is also part of the area’s economic landscape. DEUTZ traces its roots to an engine factory founded in Cologne in 1864 by Nicolaus August Otto and Eugen Langen.
Another major industrial presence is Saint-Gobain Glass Deutschland, which manufactures flat glass for the construction and architectural sectors at its Porz site. Located close to the DLR, the European Transonic Windtunnel (ETW) is a unique research facility and one of the world’s most advanced aerodynamic wind tunnels. The proximity of Cologne Bonn Airport has also attracted major logistics companies. DHL Express operates an international air freight hub there, while UPS maintains a major air cargo hub at the airport as well.
At the same time, Porz is characterised by extensive woodland and open spaces, rural neighbourhoods and the biodiverse Wahner Heide nature reserve. Gut Leidenhausen, with its environmental education centre and surrounding woodland, as well as the Rhine waterfront and the Groov recreation area in Zündorf, offer a wide range of opportunities for outdoor recreation.