Ruhrgebiet – The Ruhr area was formerly synonymous with dirty houses, smog and short life expectancy. Smoke and dust from coal mining and smelters lay like a lid over the Ruhr valley. Cities such as Essen, Duisburg and Bochum were avoided on a trip to Germany. The heavy industry is history now. Instead, the area has invested in culture and tourism, and in 2010 Essen was the European Capital of Culture.
A good starting point for a visit to the Ruhr is Cologne and the enormous Cologne Cathedral, begun in the 13th century, is worth a visit.
Zollverein
The highlight of the Ruhr if you are interested in industrial history or architecture is undoubtedly a visit to the Zeche Zollverein coal mine and coking plant outside Essen. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The buildings in the area are in the Bauhaus style. An architecture that originated in Germany in the 1920s, and is characterized by strict cubic functionalism, but with artistic qualities. Buhaus educated students in architecture, art and craft, as their philosophy was that these were heavely linked. The National Socialists did not like the Bauhaus and many fled the country and inspired other architects. The result can be seen particularly in the USA and Israel.
In the Zollverein, the many brick buildings and bright red steel frameworks encircle the streets and squares, and in the background looms a large mining elevator which is the very symbol of the Zollverein. Also visit the design museum which is located in one of the buildings.
A tour of the huge industrial plant shows how the coal was converted into coke for use in the steel industry. The coal was driven into wagons to the huge furnaces where it was heated and converted into coke. The plant was one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
Concerts are regularly held in the area and there is an outdoor swimming pool in an old container.
In many of the small mining towns there are areas with so-called mining colonies. They are characterized by small working-class housing in chains, not unlike what you can see in England. A stroll through the old working-class districts that ooze history is recommended. In Eisenheim you will find the oldest colony.
In Bochum there is a mining museum, and a huge railway museum with a number of the big steam locomotives. There are also several smaller industrial museums in the area.
