1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Ruhrort

RUHRORT, a town of Germany, in the Prussian Rhine province, situated at the junction of the Ruhr and the Rhine, in the midst of a productive coal district, 15 m. N. of Düsseldorf and 12 E. of Crefeld by rail. Ruhrort has the largest river harbour in Europe, with quays extending nearly 5 m. along the river, and it is the principal shipping port for the coal of the Westphalian coalfield, which is despatched in the fleet of steam-tugs and barges belonging to the port. The coal is sent principally to South Germany and the Netherlands. Grain and timber are also exported and iron ore is imported. In 1905 the port was entered and cleared by over 27,000 vessels of 7,418,065 tons. The industries of the town include large iron and steel works, shipbuilding yards and tanneries. Ruhrort has three Evangelical and three Roman Catholic churches, and several schools and public institutions.

Rurhort is first mentioned in 1379, and obtained civic rights in 1551. Having been in the possession of the counts of La Marck, it passed into that of Brandenburg in 1614. In 1905 it was united with Duisburg and Meiderich to form a single municipality, the joint population being 41,416.

See Geschichte der Stadt Ruhrort (Ruhrort, 1882).