Industrial Heritage Trail
Industrial Heritage Trail (German: Route der Industriekultur, also translated as "Route of industrial heritage") is a themed route in the Ruhr area in western Germany, and a prime example of industrial tourism.
Understand
Until the 1970s, the Ruhr was one of the most important zones of coal mining and heavy industry in Europe. Since then, many pits, cokeries and steel mills had to close down due to a declined demand and competition from low-wage countries. The economy, landscape and environment of the region has changed dramatically. Many industrial landmarks have been transformed into museums, exhibition halls, cultural institutions, event locations and recreational areas.
Prepare
The route has a total length of about 400 km. It encompasses important industrial sites, but also worker settlements, parks and panorama viewpoints. The vast majority of them are easy to reach by public transport, although even by car it'd be impossible to visit even a part of them in a single day.
The major sites are so-called Anchor points (Ankerpunkte), of which there are 25.
You should visit the official website or the Information Centre at Zeche Zollverein to get an idea of what you want to see and do on your trip.
Get in
The Ruhr area is well connected by public transport, both in itself, as well as to the rest of the country and region.
The closest airports are in 1 Düsseldorf Airport and 2 Dortmund Airport 
, the latter primarily seeing budget flights, especially to eastern europe and the balkans.
ICE highspeed trains stop in Duisburg, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund and Hamm. Eurostar trains ending in Dortmund and Essen offer a quick connection to Belgium and Paris. Regional services offer a quick ride to Düsseldorf or across the dutch border.
Highways cover the entire region in a dense web, but traffic during rush-hour can be a slow crawl.
Large swaths of the central Ruhr designated as low emissions zone and require all vehicles to display an Umweltzone sticker on the inside of the windscreen. This also applies to foreign vehicles, but only costs a few euros, see Driving in Germany for more information.
Go
Anchor Points
There are 25 so-called anchor points on the route, as well as 26 themed sub-routes.
- Essen
- 1 Zeche Zollverein, Gelsenkirchener Str. 181 (Tram 107 Stop Zollverein Trains S2,RB32,RB35 Essen-Zollverein Nord station). Well preserved former coal mine and cokery, now UNESCO world heritage. Museum and also hosts exhibitions.
- 1 Zeche Zollverein, Gelsenkirchener Str. 181 (Tram 107 Stop Zollverein Trains S2,RB32,RB35 Essen-Zollverein Nord station). Well preserved former coal mine and cokery, now UNESCO world heritage. Museum and also hosts exhibitions.
- Bochum
- 2 Jahrhunderthalle, An der Jahrhunderthalle 1 (Trams 302/305/310 Bochumer Verein/Jahrhunderthalle). Tu-F 12:00-17:00 Sa Su 11:00-18:00. Originally built in 1902 as part of an exhibition on modern construction in Düsseldorf, relocated and used by the Bochumer Verein steelworks and hosting concerts since the 1990s. €5.00-€15.00.
- 3 Deutsches Bergbaumuseum (German Museum of Mining), Am Bergbaumuseum 28 (Metro U35 to Deutsches Bergbaumuseum station), ☏ +49 234 3693111, info@bergbaumuseum.de. Tu-F 08:30-17:00 Sa Su Holidays 10:00-17:00. Museum on mining, showcasing a wide array of industrial and natural artefacts, a fake coal mine shaft visitors can walk through and the mining tower of Germania Mine Dortmund, which was transported to the Museum 1973 and offers a great view across the middle of the Ruhr area. Adults €6.50 Children €3.00 Family €14.00.
- 2 Jahrhunderthalle, An der Jahrhunderthalle 1 (Trams 302/305/310 Bochumer Verein/Jahrhunderthalle). Tu-F 12:00-17:00 Sa Su 11:00-18:00. Originally built in 1902 as part of an exhibition on modern construction in Düsseldorf, relocated and used by the Bochumer Verein steelworks and hosting concerts since the 1990s. €5.00-€15.00.
- Recklinghausen:
- 4 Umspannwerk Recklinghausen (Museum Strom und Leben) (Recklinghausen Substation (Museum of Electricity and Life)), Uferstr. 2-4 (Bus 201,SB20 Stop Herne Hochlarmarkstr.). Th-Su 10:00-17:00 June-August open on Mondays too. Built in 1927, this beautiful brick substation became outdated by the late 1980s, instead of demolishing it, VEW electricity company decided to turn it into an interesting mix of active modern substation and museum about how electricity changed society. Adults €7.00.
- 4 Umspannwerk Recklinghausen (Museum Strom und Leben) (Recklinghausen Substation (Museum of Electricity and Life)), Uferstr. 2-4 (Bus 201,SB20 Stop Herne Hochlarmarkstr.). Th-Su 10:00-17:00 June-August open on Mondays too. Built in 1927, this beautiful brick substation became outdated by the late 1980s, instead of demolishing it, VEW electricity company decided to turn it into an interesting mix of active modern substation and museum about how electricity changed society. Adults €7.00.
- Herten:
- 5 Zeche Ewald (Ewald Mine), Werner-Heisenberg-Str. 2-4. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Mining at Zeche Ewald only just ended in 2001. While a lot of the old buildings have been demolished to redevelop the grounds, the remaining ones, including two of the tall green steel mining towers, are a great industrial backdrop and host exhibtions.
- 5 Zeche Ewald (Ewald Mine), Werner-Heisenberg-Str. 2-4. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Mining at Zeche Ewald only just ended in 2001. While a lot of the old buildings have been demolished to redevelop the grounds, the remaining ones, including two of the tall green steel mining towers, are a great industrial backdrop and host exhibtions.
- Marl
- 6 Chemiepark Marl (Marl Chemical Park). Huge industrial estate of chemical industry, not open for visitors except on tours, which are suspended since COVID.
- 6 Chemiepark Marl (Marl Chemical Park). Huge industrial estate of chemical industry, not open for visitors except on tours, which are suspended since COVID.
- Waltrop:
- 7 Schiffshebewerk Henrichenburg (Henrichenburg boat lift), Am Hebewerk 2. Oldest of the 3 boat lifts at this location, this one having been constructed in 1899 in a classic brick and steel style of architecture.
- 7 Schiffshebewerk Henrichenburg (Henrichenburg boat lift), Am Hebewerk 2. Oldest of the 3 boat lifts at this location, this one having been constructed in 1899 in a classic brick and steel style of architecture.
- Dortmund
- 8 Zeche Zollern, Grubenweg 5, ☏ +49 231 6961-211, zeche-zollern@lwl.org. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Stunning elaborate architecture as showcase of state-of-the-art building in its time. €4.00.
- 9 DASA, Friedrich-Henkel-Weg 1-25 (Bus 447,X13 Stop Bundesanstalt f. Arbeitsschutz or S-Bahn S1 Dortmund-Dorstfeld Süd). Tu-Fr 10:00-17:00 Sa Su 09:00-18:00. German exhibition on worker safety, featuring large exhibits like the control room of a power plant, a flight simulator cockpit, an airport control tower room, old vehicles and a blast furnace in addition to numerous small showpieces and modern technology. Very interactive! €5.00.
- 10 Hansa Kokerei (Hansa Cokery), Emscherallee 11. Large modern cokery, in operation from 1927-1992.
- 8 Zeche Zollern, Grubenweg 5, ☏ +49 231 6961-211, zeche-zollern@lwl.org. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Stunning elaborate architecture as showcase of state-of-the-art building in its time. €4.00.
- Hamm
- 11 Maximilianpark
- Unna:
- 12 Linden Brewery and Centre of intl. light art
- Hagen
- Witten: Zeche Nachtigall (pit and museum of industrial culture)
- 15 Zeche Nachtigall (Nachtigall Mine), nachtigallstr.35 (from bus stop Bommern Bf its a 2km walk, or use the footbridge at the west end of Ruhrdeich). Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Museum showcasing the beginning of coal mining in the Ruhr area which started nearby, exhibitions of mining and early shipping on the Ruhr and guided tours. Adult €4.00 Child €2.00.
- 15 Zeche Nachtigall (Nachtigall Mine), nachtigallstr.35 (from bus stop Bommern Bf its a 2km walk, or use the footbridge at the west end of Ruhrdeich). Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Museum showcasing the beginning of coal mining in the Ruhr area which started nearby, exhibitions of mining and early shipping on the Ruhr and guided tours. Adult €4.00 Child €2.00.
- Hattingen:
- 16 Henrichshütte (Westf. Museum für Industriekultur), Werksstraße 31-33 (Bus SB37,350,NE4 Stop Henrichshütte), henrichshuette@lwl.org. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Blast Furnace and some auxillary buildings of this once massive steel plant. Opened in the 1850s, it eventually focused on high-quality steel, including things like nuclear reactor casings, train wheels and more. Despite massive protests, it closed from the late 1980s-2000s. The museum shows the way of steel production, from the raw iron ore through the various steps, including a child-friendly tour, it also has a restaurant and regularly hosts events like concerts or a large Mercedes meet-up every summer. €5.00.
- 16 Henrichshütte (Westf. Museum für Industriekultur), Werksstraße 31-33 (Bus SB37,350,NE4 Stop Henrichshütte), henrichshuette@lwl.org. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Blast Furnace and some auxillary buildings of this once massive steel plant. Opened in the 1850s, it eventually focused on high-quality steel, including things like nuclear reactor casings, train wheels and more. Despite massive protests, it closed from the late 1980s-2000s. The museum shows the way of steel production, from the raw iron ore through the various steps, including a child-friendly tour, it also has a restaurant and regularly hosts events like concerts or a large Mercedes meet-up every summer. €5.00.
- Bochum
- 17 Bochum-Dahlhausen Rail Museum (Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen), Dr.-C.-Otto-Str. 191 (from Essen or Hattingen take S-Bahn S3, from Bochum city take tram 318 to Bochum-Dahlhausen, then 1.3 km (0.81 mi) walk), info@eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Old railway depot and yard, turned into a museum with plenty of old rail vehicles, wagons, memorabilia. Offers tours via the Ruhr Valley Railway on sundays during the summer. Adult €10.00.
- 17 Bochum-Dahlhausen Rail Museum (Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen), Dr.-C.-Otto-Str. 191 (from Essen or Hattingen take S-Bahn S3, from Bochum city take tram 318 to Bochum-Dahlhausen, then 1.3 km (0.81 mi) walk), info@eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Old railway depot and yard, turned into a museum with plenty of old rail vehicles, wagons, memorabilia. Offers tours via the Ruhr Valley Railway on sundays during the summer. Adult €10.00.
- Essen
- 18 Villa Hügel, Villa Hügel 1 (S-Bahn S6 Villa Hügel station stairs only or disabled-friendly: take Tram 107/108 direction Bredeney and get off at Frankenstr.). daily except holidays 10:00-18:00. Massive mansion of the Krupp industrial family, who once ruled over an empire of steel. It's safe to say Germany's rise to industrial power was dependant on them. At the time of its completion in 1873 it featured the latest technology like central heating, electrical lighting, telegraph wires and even it's own train station to receive royalty and other business partners. Partially open for tours. €5.00.
- 18 Villa Hügel, Villa Hügel 1 (S-Bahn S6 Villa Hügel station stairs only or disabled-friendly: take Tram 107/108 direction Bredeney and get off at Frankenstr.). daily except holidays 10:00-18:00. Massive mansion of the Krupp industrial family, who once ruled over an empire of steel. It's safe to say Germany's rise to industrial power was dependant on them. At the time of its completion in 1873 it featured the latest technology like central heating, electrical lighting, telegraph wires and even it's own train station to receive royalty and other business partners. Partially open for tours. €5.00.
- Mülheim
- 19 Aquarius Water Museum, Burgstr. 70. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Museum about Water inside of an old 50 m (160 ft) water tower.
- 19 Aquarius Water Museum, Burgstr. 70. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Museum about Water inside of an old 50 m (160 ft) water tower.
- Duisburg inland harbour, museum of inland navigation Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord (LaPaDu, former steel mills estate, now partly recultivated)
- 20 German Inland Waterways Museum, Apostelstr. 84. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Small museum about Inland Shipping, Duisburg has Europe's largest Inland Harbour. €4.50.
- 21 North Duisburg Landscape Park, Emscherstr. 71. 180 hectares of landscaped industrial park on site of a former steelplant.
- 20 German Inland Waterways Museum, Apostelstr. 84. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Small museum about Inland Shipping, Duisburg has Europe's largest Inland Harbour. €4.50.
- Oberhausen Museum of Industry (former zink factory), Gasometer
- 22 Zinkfabrik Altenberg, Hansastr. 20 (backside of Oberhausen central station). closed until 2025 for renovations. Former sheet metal factory
- 23 Gasometer Oberhausen, Arenastr. 11 (from Oberhausen station, follow the signs and take any bus or tram to stop "Neue Mitte", then 10 Min. walk). Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Old gasometer turned into exhibition and cultural centre. Part of the redevelopment of an industrial site into one of europe's largest shopping centres during the 1990s. €14.00.
- 22 Zinkfabrik Altenberg, Hansastr. 20 (backside of Oberhausen central station). closed until 2025 for renovations. Former sheet metal factory
- Gelsenkirchen
- 24 Nordsternpark
(former coal pit transformed into a horticultural exhibition area)
- 24 Nordsternpark
Panorama Points
These vantage points, often on top of mining tips, give you the opportunity for many impressive views across it all. Sunsets with smoke stacks, chimneys and steel foundries, but also quiet, green river valleys: TBA
Important Settlements
These settlements and neighbourhoods offer a glimpse into the daily life of the average worker in the heydays of industry, and are in many cases architecturally quite pretty: TBA
Themed Routes
There are 26 additional themed routes, using the anchor points as information centres, that take you to locations specific to its topic. The route about the railways of the Ruhr which will take you to rail museums, import and architecturally interesting stations, old tram depots, bridge ensembles, rail to trail routes, water towers, etc., there's a route focusing all about the history of the Krupp family and Essen which covers residences, parks funded by them, restaurants, factory sites, In Dortmund there is a route about the trinity of coal mining, steel cooking and beer brewing in Dortmund, you get the idea. TBA
- Duisburg: Stadt und Hafen (Duisburg - City and Harbour:
- Industrielle Kulturlandschaft Zollverein (Industrial Cultural Landscape Zollverein)
- Duisburg: Industriekultur am Rhein (Duisburg - Industrial Culture at the Rhine):
- Oberhausen: Industrie macht Stadt (Oberhausen - Industry creates a city:
- Krupp und die Stadt Essen (Krupp and the City of Essen):
- Dortmund: Dreiklang, Kohle, Stahl, Bier (Dortmund - Trinity of Coal, Steel and Beer):
- Industriekultur an der Lippe (Industrial Culture on Lippe River):
- Erzbahn-Emscherbruch (Erzbahn Ore Railway to the Emscherbruch Park):
- Industriekultur an Volme und Ennepe (Industrial Culture at the Volme and Ennepe Rivers):
- Sole, Dampf und Kohle (Brine, Steam and Coal):
- Frühe Industrialisierung (Early industrialisation):
- Geschichte und Gegenwart der Ruhr (History and Future of the Ruhr):
- Auf dem Weg zur blauen Emscher (The way to the blue Emsche River):
- Kanäle und Schifffahrt (Canals and Shipping):
- Bahnen im Revier (Rails in the Ruhr):
- Westfälische Bergbauroute (Westphalian Mining Route):
- Rheinische Bergbauroute (Rhenish Mining Route):
- Chemie, Glas und Energie (Chemical Industry, Glass and Energy):
- Arbeitersiedlungen (Worker Settlements):
- Unternehmervillen (Entrepreneur Villas):
- Brot, Korn und Bier (Bread, Wheat and Beer):
- Mythos Ruhrgebiet (Myth of the Ruhr):
- Parks und Gärten (Parks and Gardens):
- Industrienatur (Industrial Nature):
- Panoramen und Landmarken (Panoramas and Landmarks):
- Sakralbauten (Sacral Buildings):
- Eisen & Stahl (Iron and Steel) (in preparation)
- Wasser (Water) (in preparation)
- Bochum – Industriekultur im Herzen des Reviers (Bochum - Industrial Culture in the Heart of the Ruhr)
- Gelsenkirchen (in preparation)
Stay safe
The Ruhr area may seem a little rough around the edges, but you'll find that most people are grumpy on the outside but friendly on the inside, if a little direct and blunt sometimes. Stick to the usual common sense rules and avoid hanging around dodgy train stations at night and you'll be 101% fine.
Go next
Similarly themed itinaries:
- Industrial Britain
- American Industry Tour, United States
- European Route of Industrial Heritage, an initiative sponsored by the Council of Europe