city in W Germany, in the Ruhr valley, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia: pop. 625,000
See Essen in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(ĕsˈən)
A city of west-central Germany near the confluence of the Ruhr and Rhine rivers north of Cologne. Founded in the ninth century, it is a major iron and steel center that was largely rebuilt after heavy bombing during World War II. Population: 583,000.