Detroit

Description: Detroit is the largest metropolitan area in the state of Michigan. Because of its favorable location, it was already a popular trading hub in the 18th century. The automotive industry also took pleasure in the location and so Detroit developed into the epicenter of automotive conglomerates in the 20th century.

As economic structural change took place, especially in the car industry, the city began to decline at the end of the 20th century. Coupled with other problems, such as poor administration of the city and increasing ethnic conflicts, more and more tax-paying, wealthy citizens migrated away. This resulted in the bankruptcy of the city. Thus, more and more buildings were abandoned and left to decay. If you drive around the belt that surrounds downtown Detroit, you can hardly see any inhabited buildings.

In recent years, there have been efforts to help Detroit recover, but these mills grind very slowly. Life in Detroit today takes place mainly in the huge belt in the suburbs and cities around downtown. 

Our rating: We don't really know Detroit. Downtown we only visited because of the Hard Rock Café, which is now closed. Our stays were more in the suburbs of the city. Because of the high crime rate and the many ruined buildings around downtown, it is not really on our agenda at the moment.