Heiligenhaus () is a town in the district of Mettmann, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the suburban Rhine-Ruhr area. It lies between Düsseldorf and Essen. Bochum University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Bochum, formerly Fachhochschule Bochum) has a branch in Heiligenhaus for the development of locking Systems. Heiligenhaus also contains the ancestral family farm of the acclaimed American author John Steinbeck. Twin towns – sister cities Heiligenhaus is twinned with: Basildon, England, United Kingdom Mansfield, England, United Kingdom Meaux, France Zwönitz, Germany References External links Towns in North Rhine-Westphalia Mettmann (district)