Landscapes of Industry
The Ruhr may not be beautiful, but it has industry and a lot of it. Exploring the Ruhr Valley is not a proposition to take lightly. You will not find the usual tourist activities here. There are few old buildings, no famous statues or monuments, dirty cities, and uninspiring natural landscapes. Visiting the Ruhr will let you explore the industries that shaped human society, from coal and iron mining to steel and textile mills.
- Some of the world’s best preserved industrial heritage sites, esp. the UNESCO Zeche Zollverein, the Art Nouveau Zeche Zollern, and the vast Duisburg Industrial Landscape
- The Villa Architecture of the new capitalist class, e.g., the Villa Hügel and Hohenhof
- Utopian Garden Cities and Worker Settlements
The Ruhr, Ruhrgebiet, or Ruhrpott, as it is known in many places, is the geographical invention of the 20th century. There is an official list of German counties which comprise the “Ruhrgebiet,” though the region has no de jure political meaning. Historically, most of the area belonged to the County of Mark, though nothing remains of this heritage today. Holding it together is the massive Ruhr Coalfield that lies beneath the soil and which powered Germany’s industrial revolution.
The legacy of the coalfield is that the Ruhr remains a significant center of heavy industry. With such longstanding traditions in specific industries, local communities, and governments have sought to retain much of the surviving industrial legacy. The result is a remarkable collection of museums, mines, and factories that tell the story of Germany’s industrial revolution from the beginning to today.
Hiking: The Dortmund-Ems Canal
For those of us without cars, travel can sometimes be a challenge. Here are two interesting industrial monuments, the Zeche Waltrop and the Boat Lift…
Hiking: Along the Schwerte Heights
While I think the town of Schwerte doesn’t quite live up to its reputation as a “well-preserved old-town,” it sits above one of the prettier…
Hiking: The Ruins of Hohensyburg
According to legend, Charlemagne built a fortress to challenge Saxon rule in Westphalia. Here, a Saxon army was defeated and chased to the North Sea,…
Hiking: Legacy of the Mines
This is more of a niche hiking experience, but one that could still prove interesting from various perspectives. The route travels up and around several…
- Hype: 1.4
- Growth: 3.3
- Wealth: 5.8
- Recognition: 1.8
- Accommodation: 7.4
- Transportation: 2.0
- Ease of Planning: 5.5
- Infrastructure: 6.0
- Interactivity: 1.8
- Airport: Yes
- Historical Context: 3.0
- Monuments: 6.8
- Quality*: 3.0
- Landscape: 9.8
- Vineyards: 0
- Undiscovered: 3.2
- Cultural Immersion: 2.4
- Tradition*: 8.0
