Ruhr
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The Ruhr area (German: Ruhrgebiet ) is a region of state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The region was formed during the 20th century by montan industry (coal and steel) and runs currently through a structural transformation which makes it to one of the most dynamic regions in Europe. Its extension is limited by river Ruhr in the south, river Lippe in the north, river Rhine in the west and the city of Hamm in the east. That makes about 100 kilometers from west to east and about 40 kilometers from north to south. About 5.3 Million people live in the Ruhr Area, which makes it beside London and Paris to the third largest metropolitan region in Middle Europe.
[edit] Cities
The region consists of the main cities
the peripheral and smaller cities
the subdistricts
A common representative of the communities is Regionalverband Ruhr'
The city of Düsseldorf, state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, is located very close to the Ruhr Area, but not part of it.
[edit] Understand
From outside the region is often called simply 'The Ruhr'. Do not confuse it with the river Ruhr, from which the region got its name.
A rural region, which was the Ruhr area till 1850, became within 50 years the heart of heavy industry of Germany. Population increases in this time by 50 times. People imigrated from everywhere in Europe, but mainly from East-Prussia. Today the Ruhr area is still a densely populated part of Germany with around 5.3 million people. In the last decades of the 20th century a structural transformation began. Most mines and steel mills were closed down, the remaining updated to the current state of the art. New key technologies are IT, research, solar energy, logistic and medicine engineering althrough about 30% of the european streel production still comes from the Ruhr. Pollution of air and water has come to an end and the region has more parks, leasure grounds and rural districts than most visitors expect.
But the people's identity is still strongly derived from the formerly prevailing heavy industry. They are proud of their industrial heritage. Often former industrial buildings are re-used as stages, theatres, museums or exebition halls. They offer a extraordinary atmosphere. Some pithead towers have become the landmark of technology parks. So the skyline of some districts look like before although mining has nearly came to an end.
To characterize the region in a few keywords: diversity and structural transformation
The Ruhr Area offers a wide rage of cultural events and needs not to fear the comparison with any other European Metropolis.
In 2010 the Ruhr Area, represented by the city of Essen, will obtain the title European Capital of Culture 2010.
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[edit] Talk
Do not expect that everyone understands English, although most people had English lessons at school. You will have fewer problems if you are able to communicate in German. But communication in English is possible if you do not hesistate to ask the next guy if the first one does not nderstand you. At some qarters you will find a lot of people able to talk Turkish and, according to the immigration of the last decade, some guys with Polisch or Russian language. Other languages are not very common.
Most ticket machines at stations, underground and bus stop can be switched to English and ofter to French, Dutch or Turkish.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane
Düsseldorf international (DUS)[1]
Düsseldorf has excellent highway connections. By car you can be inside the Ruhr Area in about 15 minutes. Or take the train. The airport has two stations. Take the S-Bahn from the terminal station to Düsseldorf main station and from there the Regional-Express towards Duisburg. Or use the overhead railway 'Skytrain' to get to long-distance station (about five minutes) and from there the Regional-Express towards Duisburg. For early morning departures, a direct RegionalExpress train runs from the Ruhr area to Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal station.
Airport Dortmund (DTM)[2] Shuttle buses to Dortmund main railway station and Holzwickede railway station. Public transport buses towards Unna and Dortmund-Aplerbeck Stadtbahn station.
Airport Weeze-Niederrhein (NRN)[3] Public transport bus towards Duisburg and Essen.
[edit] By train
The Ruhr is well-connected by several long-distance trains from the East, North and South. From the West, passengers need to change trains at Cologne (from Brussels) or Viersen (from Venlo).
[edit] By bus
Direct long-distance buses run from many major European cities. Deutsche Touring[4] is the major operator.
[edit] Get around
Since most cities have their separate transport association the coordination is not always the best. But they are all linked together including trains like S-Bahn and Regionals-Express by Verkehrsverbund Rhein Ruhr (VRR) and Tarifraum Münsterland/Ruhr-Lippe (VRL) at the eastern limits. Look for tarifs and timetables there. Within a city use bus, tram or underground. For travelling from one city to another it is best to use S-Bahn or Regional-Express. They all have the same pricing system so that the tickets are valid for all vehicles within the borderlines of the VRR on one hand and VRL on the other hand. For change from VRR to VRL and vice versa exists special conditions. Refer to the internet sites or contact one of the information offices of the organisations.
[edit] Tariff, Tickets
There are 5 fare levels. As a rule of thumb: if you travel 3-4 bus stops or 1.5 km (different rules for each city) you need level K, for travelling within one city or two adjacent suburbs you need level A, for a ride to the next neighbour city fare level B is needed, if you transit to a neighbour city of a neighbour city use level C and level D is for rides to any location within the area of VRR.
You can obtain tickets from the customer offices of the local transport association, from the ticket-machines at the subway stations, from ticket machines within the trams, from bus drivers and from designated kiosks. If there is a ticket machine at a station, it is usually not possible to buy a ticket within the vehicle. Even if you just enter the platforms of a subway station without holding a valid ticket, you may be fined.
Do not forget to stamp you ticket before you enter a vehicle. The orange stamp-boxes are located at the entrance of the platforms of subway and trains, within trams and busses.
If you depart from a station without the possibility to buy tickets and without a ticket machine onboard the train, you need to ask the conductor or - if there is none - the driver what to do.
[edit] Timetable
Information about timetables and routes you can obtain here
[edit] Regional Transport
Regional Trains may be used with tickets of VRR within the VRR-area.
[edit] Taxi
Going by Taxi is quite expansive. Calculate a price of about 1.6 Euros per kilometer plus a onetine charge from the approach.
[edit][add listing] See
It is impossible to specify all places to go of the region here, it would be a good idea to refer the sites of the cities making the Ruhr also. So only the highlights are listed here. Also the site of ReginalVerband Ruhr [5] is worth visiting.
[edit] what you must have seen
- Bochum: Mining Museum.
- Bottrop: Ascent the Tetraeder situated on rock-dump Prosper/Haniel. Thge dump has a hight of 90 Meters, the Tetraeder is 60 Meter high. The view from top onto the Ruhr is nonrecurring - but select a day with fine weather.
- Dortmund: DASA
- Duisburg: Habour Trip
- Essen: World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein.
- Hagen: open air museum
- Waltrop: Ship Lift Henrichenburg
- Witten: Mutten-valley
[edit] what you should have seen
- Bochum: Eisenbahnmuseum (Railway Museum) - one of the biggest of its kind
- Dortmund: Zeche Zollern (Mine Zollern) - a mine with the sharpe of a palace
- Duisburg Inner Habour - from industrial plant to an fascinating residential and leisure quarter
- Duisburg: Binnenschifffahrtsmuseum (Inland Waterway Museum) - all about inland water transport
- Duisburg: Landschaftspark (Landscape Park) - the steel plant Meiderich as a park, highlight is the accessible furnace
- Essen: old synagogue - an exhibition about jewish life and culture
- Essen: Villa Hügel - the palace of the family Kupp
- Hagen: Hohenhof - the villa of the Hagener Impulse, an ensemble of art nouveau
- Hamm: Tamil Temple Sri Kamadchi Ampal
- Marl: Chemiepark - the superlative chemistry set
- Mülheim an der Ruhr: Aquarius - an exhibition about water with lots of hands on activities
- Oberhausen: Centro/neue Mitte (new center) and Gasometer (Gas-Tank) - most modern shopping center and largest exhibition hall
[edit] Industrial Heritage
[edit] Industrial Heritage Trail
The most interesting sites of the industrial heritage are combined under the keyword Industrial Heritage Trail[6]. The is a fine brochure which you can download as a pdf-file here.
[edit] Objects
- Zeche Zollverein and Red-Dot-Museum. Colliery Zollverein, World Heritage Site, has become a symbol of the structural transformation. See that functional architecture can also be beautiful. There is also an information office for the Ruhr Area and the Industrial Heritage Trail. Open (Information Office) (April-Oktober) daily 10-19.00, (November-March) daily 10-17.00, fridays till 19.00, Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen, Tel: 0201 83036 - 36, free entrance, guided tours are charged
- Gasometer Oberhausen Europe's largest disc-type gas holder (117 m high) has been converted into an extraordinary exhibition hall Open Tue-Sun, holidays 10-18.00, Arenastraße 11, 46047 Oberhausen (Neue Mitte), Tel: +49 208 850 37 30
- Mine Zollern in Dortmund is a large old coal mine in the art nouveau style. A mine like a palace. Open Tue-Sun, holidays: 10-18.00, Grubenweg 5, 44388 Dortmund (suburb Bövinghausen), Tel: 0231 6961-111
Characteristic for The Ruhr are Workers Settlements and Rock Dumps.
Between 1850 and 1900 the population of Bochum increased from about 4500 to 100,000 by immigration. It would be absolutely impossible to offer enough living space and infra structure by the commune. In order to avoid slums companies began to erect settlements, supermarkets and hospitals for their employees aside their grounds. Even if the companies knew to combine this with their own benefits, it was also a social act. It prevented ghettos and poverty. The living conditions in those settlements was above the standard of that times. Often build in the style of a garden city they are preferred quarters today. The most interesting settlements are:
[edit] Workers Settlements
- Eisenheim in Oberhausen was founded in 1846 for the workers of steel plant Gutehoffnungshütte. The still remainingt 38 houses are the oldest workers settlement at the Ruhr.
- Margarethenhöhe in Essen is the best known and and probably nicest settlement at the Ruhr. It bases on a foundation of Margarethe Kupp as a garden city ba plans of architectc Georg Metzendorf.
- Dahlhauser Heide in Bochum-Hordel: no doupt - the showcase-mine of the Krupp-trust needed a adequate settlements for its workers. The settlement Dahlhauser Heide, the name was given by a former estate, was built from 1907 to 1915 in a style of a garden city.
- Settlement Teutoburgia in Herne-Börnig, is traeted as one of the nicest garden cities at the Ruhr. The variation of only 4 different types of houses resulted in a very diversified ensemble. It was built in 1909 to 1923 for the employees of mine Teutoburgia.
[edit] Rock Dumps
With increasing degree of mechanisation of mining the part of unusable rocks brought to daylight increased. Onla a part of them could used to fill those given up galleries underground. The rest was dumped to sometimes to considerable hills. Within the flat landscape of the northern Ruhr they form a apparent skyline. Most of the dumps are opened for public now.
- Dump Haniel in Bottrop is with its 160 meters one of the highest dumps. The peak bears a crux made by guide rails, which is the end of a Via Dolorosa. Elements of mining technology form the 15 stations of the Via Dolorosa, copper plates designed by the artist Tisa von Schulenburg - also known as nun Paula - connect to religios topics and the Good Friday procession here in industrial surrounding has a long tradition. Also beneath the peak you will find a amphitheater with 800 seats, called the Mountain Arena. It is stage for some theater-plays and events. And last not least the dump bears an installation of the spanish sculptor Agustin Ibarrola. Its name is „Totems“ and it consists of 100 railroad ties. It forms a link between the industrial ambiente and nature.
- The Dump of Mine Prosper in Bottrop, about 90 meters, with the Tetraeder, a accessable framework of steel tubes of 60 meters height. Here you can experience whether you a really free from giddiness. But from top the panorama is grand. At nighttime the Tetraeder is illuminated and forms a visible landmark.
- Hoppenbruch in Herten, has a level of 70 meters. This dump is opened for public since many years, its trees and vegetation are rown up to goody hight. So you can walk on fine tracks or small pathes to the peak, which are two of them. On the northern one you will find a windmill and a lot of plates giving some information about wind. Also mountain bikers like this dump for training. Location: map.
- Hoheward in Herten has with 150 meters a respectable level. It is situated right hand to Hoppenbruch, together they form the most extended dump scenery in Europ. The eastern part is opend for public. The plateau bears the season observation plant. They also plan to build a open air stage with catering in 2009. And they think about the realisation of a "sky lake".
- Dump Großes Holz (big forrest) in Kamen
[edit] Palaces and Castles
- The former house of the industrial family Krupp Villa Hügel (in english: "Hill House") is situated in a pitoresque hillside above lake Baldeney. What Alfred Krupp called a country estate is in fact the "Buckingham Palace of the Ruhr". Open: the park is open daily from 8.00 to 20.00, the estate is open daily apart from Mondays from 10.00 to 18.00, Villa Hügel, 45133 Essen, Phone: + 49 - (0)201 - 61 62 9 - 0
[edit] Museums
[edit] Technical Museums
- German Mining Museum in Bochum, one of the largest of its kind. Open Tue-Fri: 8.30 - 17.00, Sunday, saturday and holiday: 10.00 - 17.00, Am Bergbaumuseum 28, 44791 Bochum
- German Railway Museum in Bochum's suburb Dahlhausen. Open from March till mid od November, Tue-Fri and sun- and holydays: 10-17.00, Dr.-C.-Otto-Straße 191, 44879 Bochum
- The Museum of Heavy Industry in Oberhausen presents an overview of heavy industry at the Ruhr. Open Tue-Sun: 10-17.00, Hansastraße 20, 46049 Oberhausen
- Deutsche Arbeitsschutz Ausstellung (DASA) in Dortmund. In spite of the name German Occupational Safte and Health Exebition it is a very interesting museum dealing with many branches of work with a lot of hands-on activities. Open Tue-Sat: 9-17.00, Sundays: 10-17.00 charge 3 €, Friedrich-Henkel-Weg 1-25. 44149 Dortmund
- Open air museum of craftmanship in Hagen. Over 60 crafts and trades of a period from the late 18th century to the end of the 19th century are presented. You can watch working methods in action inside a lot of authentic buildings that strech over a lovely hillside. Open from April till end of October, Tue-Sun: 9-18.00, Mäckingerbachtal, 58091 Hagen
- The Muttental a nice valley within a forrest near Witten (Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis) presents equipments and galleries from the beginning of mining. Open every time, free entrance
[edit] Art
- Worth seeing are the changing exhibitions in the Folkwang Museum in Essen. Open Tue-Sun: 10-18.00, Kahrstraße 16, 45128 Essen, Phone: +49 (0)201 8845301
- The Museum am Ostwall in [Dortmund] is dedicated to arts of the 20th and 21st century. OPEN Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun 10-17.00, Thu 10-20.00, Sat 12-17.00, Ostwall 7, 44122 Dortmund
[edit] Lords Houses
- Tamil Tempel Sri Kamadchi Ampal in Hamm web, Open outside of servie times, free entrance
[edit] Zoos, Gardens and Parks
- A special kind of zoo is Zoom Erlebniswelt [7] in Gelsenkirchen, it is imitating the natural surrounding of the animals.
- The Chinese Garden [8] in Bochum is the only one in south chinese style. It is situated inside the botanic garden of the Ruhr University. Open (April–September) 9-18.00, (October-March)9-16.00, Entry is admission free.
- Botanic Garden Westfalenpark [9] in Dortmund
- Botanic Garden Gruga [10] in Essen
- Leasure park Nordsternpark [11] in Gelsenkirchen, landscape park designed for the National Garden Show in 1997. It does not deny its industrial past. Highlights are the goat farm, the crag, the mining gallery and the "Deutschlandexpress", a very large model railway installation. Many attractions are admission free.
- Maximilianpark in Hamm, leisure park on the ground of former mine Maximilian. Its highlight the the butterfly-house and the glass elephant which has been built onto the disused coal washery. The central electric power house and the washrooms are now a stage for a wide range of cultural activities and shows.
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit] Theatre, Musicals
The municipal Theatre in Bochum has an excellet repution.
A lot of private Theatres in all cities offer excellent shows. Ask at the tourist offices of the cities for addresses and shows.
Musical Starlight Express in Bochum is amoung the most successful musicals worldwide.
Visit Colosseum Theatre in Essen. It is a former production hall with an wonderful industrial ambiente.
The play and concert festival Ruhr Triennale offers a wide range of events spread all over the region.
Another example for the re-use of a former industrial building is the Jahrhunderhalle (Hall of the Century) in Bochum - one of the most extraordinary stages worldwide.
[edit] Festivals
Every year at the first weekend of summer schoolout starts Bochum Total. For 4 days the city turns into a stage for rock music.
In 2010 Duisburg will host the Love Parade, Gelsenkirchen will follow in 2011.
[edit] Sport
In May the Ruhr Marathon takes place with about 20.000 athletes and 100.000 viewers. You must have seen it.
Dortmund and Schalke (suburb of Gesenkirchen) have excellent football teams. Watch a game.
Excellent conditions for cycling offer the Ruhrtalradweg with a length of about 230 kilometers through rural regions, the Emscher Radweg leads 225 kilometers beside river Emscher and Rhein-Herne-Canal through industrial panorama. For short trips Lake Kemnade and Lake Baldeney (not at the weekend) as well as the Ore-Route (Erzbahntrasse - without any crossing) from Bochum Westpark to river Emscher with connection (from October 2008) to Emscher-Route and Kray-Wanner-Route (5 street-crossings) from Colliery Zollverein towards to the city of Wanne-Eickel with connection to Ore-Route. Both routes offer an excellent view on industry surroundings, settlements and suburbs.
Inline scating you can do very well around Lake Kemnade (9/11 Kilometers) at the southern limits of Bochum and Lake Baldeney (16 kilometers) at the southern limits of Essen. But avoid to visit this locations at the weekend - it will be too crowded.
For jogging the routes above are very suitable but also Nordsternpark at Gelsenkirchen, Gyserberg-Park at Herne and Rombergpark at Dortmund (for all of them entry admission free)
[edit][add listing] Buy
[edit] Shopping
The city centers of Duisburg, Essen, Bochum und Dortmund offer excellent shopping conditions.
Popular shopping centers are Centro at Oberhausen, Rhein-Ruhr-Zentrum at Mülheim, Limbecker Platz in Essen and Ruhr Park Bochum.
[edit] Souvenirs
Buy a pit lamp.
[edit][add listing] Eat
[edit] Restaurants
The traditional Ruhr cuisine has died out. Today it is mainly an international cuisine with influences from Westphalia and Rhineland as well as from the mediterranian cuisine. Since a high percentage of the population has a migration background and germans like to taste foreign food you will find a lot of foreign restaurants. Most of all Italian, Greek or Chineses restaurants, but also Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Egyptian, Arabic, Mongolian, Russian, Indian and Japonese restaurants. All those who like pancake should visit a 'Pfannkuchenhaus'. There is a wide variation of covering, you can get them sweet or with bacon, meat or vegetables.
[edit] Dishes of the season
During all months ending with letter 'r' (in german January and February also) blue mussels are offered.
During May fresh asparagus (white or green)is available.
[edit] Fast Food
The most common fast food is Pizza and Döner.
The typical German 'Currywurst', a fried sausage with ketchup and curry powder is available everywhere. But insiders say the best one you will get in Bochum made by 'Dönninghaus'.
[edit] Cafes
Cafes and ice cream palours are very common. On warm days many of them offer some tables at the pavement where you can see and watch and beeing watched.
[edit][add listing] Drink
The traditional drink is Pils, simply called beer. Not so long ago the region had the highest density of brewing houses in Germany. The decline of heavy industry followed a decline of breweries. Local breweries are still Fiege from Bochum und König Pilsener from Duisburg (slightly bitter). An excellent beer from a smaller brewing house with smooth taste is 'Borbecker Dampfbier', but it is not available everywhere; the same applies to 'Rüttenscheider' which you will only get in Rüttenscheid (a suburb of Essen).
[edit] Stay Safe
The cities within the Ruhr area are amoung the safest in Germany. Since the Ruhr area is until now not a tourist region, it is not in the focus of pickpockets. But it is a good idea to take the usual precautions. Don't leave you camera unattended, don't flash around a fat wallet. Since many citizens have a migration background, the acceptance of strangers is high and the possibility of encountering racism or other prejudices is low. Owing to unemployment and the demise of the once excellent German social system, beggars and bottle collectors are becoming a rather common problem, but they are usually harmless.
[edit] Climate
The main rule about the central European climate is that you cannot predict the weather. Summers can be cold and wet, while April is warm and sunny. But in general the best chance for sun will be from May to August and in October. July and August can become very hot with temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius. In wintertime, from December to February, the average temperature is about zero. Winter is not generally recommended for travelling to the Ruhr area, but on the other hand in December, Germany's famous Christmas markets take place. The Christmas markets in Dortmund and Münster are definitely worth a visit.
[edit] Links
- Site of the RegionalVerband Ruhr RVR
- Tourist Office Bochum
- Tourist Office Dortmund
- Tourist Office Duisburg
- Tourist Office Essen
- Tourist Office Gelsenkirchen
- Photo Site Ruhrgebietsbilder about the Ruhr Area
- Photo Site Pixelproject Ruhrgebiet a digital photography collection creating a regional memory
[edit] Downloads
- Discovery Pass Route der Industriekultur (Industrial Heritage Trail) in German and English
- Bochum: Calendar of Events, Hotel-Guide, Nightlife, Image-Brochure, Culture-Guide, City-Map
- Dortmund: Calendar of Events
- Duisburg: Discover the Difference, Street-Maps
- Essen: Image-Brochure, Culture-Guide
