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Landmark of Bochum - the Pitheardtower of the German Mining Museum

Bochum is a city of the state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

Understand

Bochum is part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet), the centre of heavy industry in Germany. Its history is linked closely to that of the region. In 1850, Bochum was a small town of about 4500 Inhabitants, its population increased, being 1900 to 100 000 inhabitants and in 1935 had 300 000 inhabitants. During World War II, its center was nearly completely destroyed, which provided the opportunity to rebuild the city after the war in a metropolitan way with wide streets and modern buildings. With the end of the coal boom in the 1960s, a structural transformation began. Bochum got the first university of the Ruhr Area, which was opened in 1965. Today it is one of the largest universities of the country with about 35 000 students and excellent reputation. Also in the 1960s, the Opel car production plant became productive and offered jobs for miners who had lost their jobs in mining. Mining and steel production came to an end in the 1980s.

Today Bochum is a modern city with a job focus in service sector.

Bochum is situated at the borderline between the flat Münsterland in the north and the highlands of Bergisches Land in the south. Therefore, the northern part of Bochum is quite flat, the highest hill is the Tippelsberg. The southern limits of Bochum touch the Ruhr valley with lake Kemnade.

In the 19th century, industrialization began in the valley of Ruhr and moved in the following years northwards. Left was an environment in nearly good order. The valley of Ruhr is a recreation area for the population. The Ruhr is water reservoir for the region, therefore the rules for keeping the water clean are quite restrict. Swimming is forbidden in the Kemnade, swimming in the Ruhr is permitted but not recommended because of strong flow. Pleasure boats are allowed everywhere.

Like most cities in the Ruhr Area the southern quarters are of high standard and are quite expansive while factories will be found mainly in the northern quarters.

View onto the city from top of Tippelsberg

Get in

By plane

The nearest international airport is Düsseldorf, about 50 km from Bochum. From Düsseldorf airport, you can get to Bochum by train S1 towards Dortmund or with some Regional Trains.

Regional airports nearby are Dortmund, Münster or Weeze.

By train

Intercity

Bochum Main Station is situated at the main line through the Ruhr Area, and is served by InterCity and ICE trains to all parts of Germany. Services include (2009):

  • ICE train to Hannover - Berlin, every hour
  • ICE train to Cologne - Frankfurt - Stuttgart - Munich, every two hours
  • IC train to Münster - Osnabrück - Bremen - Hamburg, every two hours
  • IC train to Kassel - Erfurt - Halle - Berlin, every two hours

There are also daily trains to Magdeburg - Leipzig and to Mannheim - Freiburg - Basel - Chur.

Regional Trains

This is a list of Regional Trais. Most leave hourely.

  • RE 1 NRW-Express Aachen - Hamm
  • RE 6 Westfalen-Express Düsseldorf - Minden
  • RE 11 Rhein-Hellweg-Express Düsseldorf - Paderborn
  • RE 16 Ruhr-Sieg-Express Essen - Siegen/Iserlohn
  • RE 40 Ruhr-Lenne-Bahn Essen - Hagen
  • RE 46 Glückauf-Bahn Bochum - Gelsenkirchen

Commuter Train

  • S1 Dortmund - Düsseldorf/Solingen leaves every 20 Minutes

By car

Bochum is situated at the intersection of highway A40 (eat/west) and A43 (north/south). Avoid the rush hour.

By bus

Get around

Public Transport is arranged by "Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahn AG", for short BOGESTRA. It is member of the transport association Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr VRR, which cares for consistence fares and adequate connections between its members and S-Bahn and regional trains. So with the same ticket, you may use the bus, underground, tram, S-Bahn and regional Express not only within Bochum but also within the rest of the Ruhr Area, depending on the price category (A, B, C or D) you have selected. For details refer VRR.

Tickets

There are 4 price levels: For travelling within one city you need level A, for a ride to the next neighbour city pricing level B is needed, if you transit 3 Tickets 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 Bogestra, from the ticket-machines at the subway stations U35, from ticket machines within the trams, from Busdrivers and from designated kiosks.

Do not forget to stamp you ticket before you enter a vehicle. The orange stamp boxes are located at the entrance of the platforms.

Customer Offices

One office is in the subway station at main station and another one you will find in the Bogestra Administration Building at Universitätsstrasse 58.

City Railway, the former tram

  • Line U35 leads from Bochum-Querenburg via Ruhr University, Bochum Main Station, Bochum-Riemke, Herne Station to Herne Strünkede.

The former trams also run underground within the city centre. All lines intersect at Bochum Main Station.

  • Linie 302 leads from Bochum Main Station via Wattenscheid and Gelsenkirchen Main Station to Gelsenkirchen-Buer.
  • Linie 306 leads from Bochum Main Station to Wanne-Eickel Main Station in Herne.
  • Linie 308 leads from Bochum-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Hattingen.
  • Linie 310 leads from Witten via Bochum Main Station to Wattenscheid-Höntrop.
  • Linie 318 leads from Bochum-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Bochum-Dahlhausen.

VRR Night-Express

Under the synonym "Night-Express" go additional buses, trams and trains at weekend and on holidays one per hour to the suburbs.

Regional Transport

Regional Trains may be used with tickets of VRR within the VRR area. For a catelogue of regional trains refer item 'Train' above.

Tip: A ride with RB46 offers views onto 'the old Ruhr', a view onto industry and suburbs that look like 50 years before.

By taxi

Going by Taxi is quite expensive. Basic charge is 2,30 € and charge per kilometer is 1,25 € at daytime and 1,35 € at nighttime.

See

There are some flyrs explaining the highlights of Bochum published by the marketing office. They are named "Blaue Linie" (blue line) and are available at the tourist office at Huestrasse 9 or on the web. A monthly calendar of events is also available there. And refer also the guide Route der Industriekultur (Industrial Heritage Trail), which can be downloaded as a PDF file.

Museums

Technic and History

  • The German Mining Museum is are of the leading of its kind worldwide. Whatever you want to know about mining, here you can experience it. Address: Am Bergbaumuseum 28
  • Those who like old steam engines should visit the Railway-Museum Bochum-Dahlhausen and Station Dahlhausen. Opening hours: Wed, Fri: 10:00 - 17:00; Sun: 10:00 - 13:00; Dr.-C.-Otto-Straße 191; Tel. +49 234 492516
  • At the city's borderline to Herne (Röhlinghausen) is located the former mine Zeche Hannover with the Malakow-Tower and the engine hall. Here you will find the steam-powered winding-engine, which will be operated at events but nowadays with pressed air anstead of steam.
  • Zeche Knirps (Mine small Boy) located on the ground of Mine Hannover. It gives children the opportunity to experience the processes in a mine.
  • Planetarium Bochum, the dome is suitable for 300 persons, it is recommended to buy the ticket half an hour befor the show starts. Address: Castroper-Strasse 67, 44791 Bochum
  • School Museum, Cruismannstrasse 2. Visits and guided tours should be coordinated with the museum director Peter Schneller, Fon: +49 234-9530795 or +49 234-9101440 (municipality)
  • Telefonmuseum. Karl-Lange-Str. 17, Declaration: Hans Dahr Fon.: 0234 284199 or Dieter Nowoczyn Fon.: 0234 260680, admission free 

Art

  • Art Museum, Kortumstraße 147. Focus of the collection is Middle-European and East-European Avant-Garde, German Expressionism, Surrealism, Informal and Cobra. 
  • Art collection of the Ruhr-University. Modern art meets classic art. Focus of the collection is the portrait-ensemble of Greek and Roman emperors made by marble and bronze and the collection of antique Greek vases of the 9th to 4th century B.C.Address: Universitätsstraße 150 
  • Schlieker-House, Paracelsusweg 16, 44801 Bochum. Opening Hours: Wed. & Sun. 15:00 - 18:00. In the former apartment and studio of the painter Hans-Jürgen Schlieker parts of his lifework are presented in form of changing exebitions. Schlieker (1924-2004) is amoungh the few important German informal painters. 
  • Situation Kunst (Situation Art), Nevelstr. 29c, 44795 Bochum, ☏ +49 234-2988901, fax: +49 234-2988902. Opening hours: Wed 14:00-18:00, Fri 14:00-18:00, Sat 12:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-18:00. Buildings in Park of "Haus Weitmar" in Bochum with a permanent exebition important Arts of presence. Arts of Gianni Colombo, Dan Flavin, Gotthard Graupner, Norbert Kricke, Lee Ufan, François Morellet, Maria Nordman, David Rabinowitch, Arnulf Rainer, Dirk Reinartz, Ad Reinhardt, Robert Ryman, Richard Serra, Jan J. Schoonhoven and additionally the Afrika- and Asia-Room. 
  • Musical-Instruments Collection Hans and Hede Grumbt, An der Kemnade 10, 45527 Hattingen, ☏ +49 2324 30268. Considerable collection of music instruments and the collection of clarintes of Johan van Kalker. 
  • Ostasiatika-Collection Ehrich, An der Kemnade 10, 45527 Hattingen, ☏ +49 2324 30268. Shown are esthetic made japonese belt-buckles, exposes of the seven Japonese fortune-lords and a lot of other objects. 

Art in public space

  • Left side of main station the is the sculpute called "Terminal" by Richard Sierra. It consists of four steel-plates with a height of 12 m. In spite of their weight the visitor becomes a vision of lightness in a different way on every side.
  • Crossing Kortumstrasse/Huestrasse is situated the sculpture "Ohne Titel" (without title) of Ulrich Rückriem. (currently removed due to construction works)
  • Memorial of the herdsman at Massenberg-Boulevard: shown is the historical person "Fritz Kortebusch", the last herdsman of the town. In 1870, he guided the cattle of the citizens the last time to the "Vöde", a grassland outside the town limits, which is today the municipal park.
  • Engelbert-fountain at Kortumstrasse, in memoriam of Earl Engelbert II, who granted town privileges to Bochum in 1321-1324. (currently removed due to construction works)
  • Josiade-fountain at Husemann-Suare. Shown is a scene of the examination of Hieronymus Jobs, the main character of the "Jobsiade", a comical poem of the poet Carl Armold Kortum.
  • "The envolvement of the City", sculpture of Professor Karl Henning Seemann at Schützenbahn street
  • Collection of sculptures inside the municipal park.
  • The bell in front of the city hall reminds of the improvement of steel-casting in Bochum. The bell was built in 1867 for the world exhibition in Paris.
  • So called stumbling stones, little brass plates in the pavement with the names of Jewish citizens arrested and murdered during the period of National-Socialist dictatorship.
  • Cenotaph for the victims of the mine desaster at "Vereinigte Präsident" in 1936. The sculpture was created by Wilhelm Wulff. In spite of the strict gidelines for artworks during the National-Socialist dictatorship, only parts of the sculpture follow those guidelines. Also the legend avoids typical National-Socialist terms.

Buildings, production Halls, Monuments

Administration, Residential Buildings, Monuments

  • The City Hall was opened in 1931. The planes were made by the architekt Prof. Karl Roth. The layout is stricly symmetric, the façade is plain. The hall divides the atrium in two parts, where fountains made by travertine and bronze are situated:on the left hand is the fountain of beauty, on the right hand the fountain of happyness. Thea were designed by Professor Vogel from Berlin.
City Hall
  • while standing before the city hall, have a look into subway station too. The south platform is quit impressive: self-supporting ceiling of the concourse: no pillars, light-wells lead daylight underground, and a bridge for line 306 crosses the concourse.
  • The old Amtshaus des Landkreises Bochum-Nord (Administrative House) at Brückstrasse has a façade in style of Westpalian Renaissance. It was built in 1884. Such façades rich in contrast made by red brickstones and white freestone are often fount at moated castles. The little shop beside the stairs was made original for the coach of the bailiff.
  • Der Bismarck-Tower inside the municipal park was build in honour of Otto von Bismarck (who was honorary citizen) and opened on 16 October 1910. (opening hours: spring/summer: daily from 10:00 - 19:00 o'clock (Mo. closed); Autumn: Sat. + Sun. from 11:00 - 17:00 o'clock ; winter closed. Admission free; From top you have an excellent view downtown.

Castles and Palaces

  • Schlossruine Weitmar und Sylvesterkapelle (Ruin of Castle Weitmar and Silvester-Chapel), Hattingerstrasse
  • Haus Kemnade, An der Kemnade 10, 45527 Hattingen, ☏ +49 2324 30268. Moated castle on the banks of the Ruhr. Today's building was established in Renaissance style in the 17th century on the walls of a former medival castle. Haus Kemnade is a popular destination. It houeses the collection Grumbt (a collection of musical instruments), the Ostasiatika collection and the "Trasure Room Kemnade", a collection around money arranged by the penny bank Bochum. Within the castle there is an restaurant. 
  • Castle Blankenstein. Situated on municipal area of Hattingen is owned by Bochum. Here in 1324 Earl Engelbert II granted town privileges to Bochum. Only the main tower is left and some walls. Within the walls there is an pub. From top of the tower you have an excellt view onto the valley of Ruhr and onto the historic chapel of Stiepel. 

Industrial Heritage

  • Station Dahlhausen refer item Museum also
  • Mine Hannover - Malakow-Tower refer to Museum
  • Jahrhunderthalle (Hall of the Century), Gahlensche Straße 15, 44793 Bochum. Inside Westpark. Build 1902 built for the trade-fair in Düsseldorfer and later used as a machinery hall of the steel-plant Bochumer Vereins. Notable is the filigree construction of the bearing. The hall was reconstructed to an unusual stage for theatre and show events. There are guided tours through the building, make an appointment with the marketing office (refer links). 

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 an 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. Within Bochum, the best known settlement is "Dahlhauser Heide".

Miner's Settlement Dahlhauser Heide
  • Miners settlement Dahlhauser Heide, built in the beginning of the 20th century for the workers of mine Hannover. It was reconstructed and the outfit brought to today's standard. A walk there is recommended.
  • Beside settlement Am Rübenkamp there are 3 houses in original outfit. The show dayly life of miners. They are under control of industrial museum "Mine Hannover".

hint: In the district of Wattenscheid at square "Alter Markt" there are still some houses left from times before industrialisation. They give an impression how most towns at the Ruhr looked like 100 years ago.

Houses of worship

  • Propsteikirche St. Peter und Paul: the oldest church at all in Bochum. Its root is a wooden chapel probably donated by Charlemagne. In the eleventh century, the chapel was replaced by a stony church. It bured down during the big fire in the city in 1517 and rebuild afterwards as a hall church in a late Gothic style, except the Romanic chancel, which had resisted the fire. The arch was implemented in 1536, the steeple finished not before 1547. The Romanic chancel was replaced by a chancel in neo-Gothic stype between 1872 and 1874. Today, the church houses some artworks like the Romanic font, the neo-Gothic graved altar, the "Bladenhorst crux" in the high altar, the Ittenbach-Madonna, the feretory of St. Perpetua and Felicitas and, last not least, the oak crying group dated from 1420.
  • Pauluskirche: the oldest Protestant church. After the Reformation, Protestants and Catholics used the same church house, not always in harmony. Therefore the Protestant community built in 1655 a separate lord’s house, a Renaissance hall church with wooden roof. During the following centuries several refurbishments were executed: in 1902/1903 the church got neo-Gothic windows. After an air raid in 1943 the church burned down to ground. In 1949/1950 it was rebuilt in style of a medival viallage church. Beside the church stands the “Mourning Mother”, a memorial of sculptor Gerhard Marcks reminding on the victims of war. She is waiting for someone, obviously in vain.
  • Christuskirche: this Protestent church was completed in 1879, it was considered among the prettiest churches in Europe. In 1931 the entry hall inside the steeple was extended to a cenotaph for those killed in action during World War I. In 1943 the church was demolished by bombs nearly completely, only the steeple survived. After the war they built a new, modern church nave and combined it with the new-Gothic steeple as a memorial. Nowadays in font of the steeple the "Place of the European Promise" is under construction. Between 2007 and 2010 they install stone plates with the names of citicens willing to give a promise to Europe's future. The plates are intended as a contrast to the cenotaph to the entrance hall, which underlines to much the hostility towards the former rivals of Germany.
  • Propsteikirche St. Gertrud von Brabant, also called affectionately Gertrudis-Church, is situated amidst the old center of Wattenscheid. The doday's building, a new-Gothic church, was build between 1868 and 1872. But even at the times of the "Karolinger" there was there an armed church, which was followed by several sacral buildings. The baptistry inside the Gertrudis-Churchis dated from times about the year 1000. It is borne by four lions. They consider it as one of the oldest baptistries in Germany. According to legends, the devil himself should have taken up a huge rock to throw it against the monastery of Werden, which was a thorn in his flesh since long. On his way he met a monk who traveled from Wattenscheid to just this monastery. Thinking quickly the monk raised his crucifix. The devil through away the rock and disappeared blaspheming. Ludgerus, the abby of monastery Werden ordered to bring the devil's rock into the monastery and form it into a baptistry, with images and 4 bearing lions. Full of gratitude for the monastery's saving he donated the baptistry to the church of Wattenscheid - and there it is still standing inside the Gertrudis-Church.
  • Chapel Bochum-Stiepel. A first hall-type church is dated to 1008. Between 1130 and 1170 it was replaced by a romansch basilica and extended in the 15th century. Worth seeing are the wall paintings inside and the historic graveyard. Address: Brockhauser Straße 72a, 44797 Bochum, tel: 0234 791337 
  • Zisterzienserkloster, Am Varenhold 9, 44797 Bochum, ☏ +49 234 777050. The Monastery in Bochum-Stiepel was built in 1988 and is under supervision of the Abot of Heiligenkreuz in Austria. An Event is the claustal Christmas market where they sell artworks from Senegal. 
  • 69 years after the Pogrom Night of 9 November 1938, when nearly all Jewish synagogues were destroyed in Germany. Bochum got a new Synagogue. It was realised according to plans of the Cologne architect Peter Schmitz. He offered a clear and plain concept. Schmitz designed an ensemble of three separated structures which are linked together by a common bodyshell.

Parks and Lakes

Westpark, Bathing the feet in a former cooling pool
  • The Botanic Garden, opposite of the Ruhr, University offers plants from allover the world, a warmhouse (humid) and a cactus house (dry). Entry admission free.
  • Chinese Garden (part of the Botanic Garden). The only one in south Chinese stile in Germany. Entry admission free. 
  • River Ruhr and Lake Kemnade are situated at the southern limits of Bochum. The lake offers walking- and biking-tracks, a boat rental, boat trips and some leisure equipments. The course around the lake has a length of about 10 km. On weekends and on holy days, the area is often crowded. The paths beside river Ruhr are excellent for jogging or biking. Also there are guided canoe-tours on the river.
  • Zoo Bochum. Situated inside the municipal park, is quit small. Worth seeing is the aquarium and fossil house. The entrance is situated at Bergstraße. 
  • Municipal Park Wattenscheid with aviary, admission free.
  • Geological Garten. At Querenburger Straße next hand to school-center. It is a former quarry which had been extended with pathes and information boards. Excellent suitable for a little walk and if you want with some information about the geological structure of Bochum. 
  • Lake Uemmingen, small lake nearby the district of Langendreer. The path around the lake has an extension of about 2 km. You will find a playing ground for children, a halfpipe for skaters, a training ground for inliners and a beer garden. Sometimes you will find there guys with model ships.
  • Municipal Park at the northern end of Kortumstraße with Bismarck-Tower and zoo, very old trees, 2 ponds, rosarium
  • West-Park, situated at Alleestraße about 1 km beyond the city hall. It is not a park with pretty flowers and arranged nature. His charm is his history as a ground of the steel mill "Bochumer Verein". After the buildings had been pulled down nature has recaptured the area. Still left is the surface of the ground, some walls, waterponds and the Hall of the Century. All this was integrated in the new created park which offers also some grassland and much space. Joggers like the area. At his northern end begins the Ore-Route, a 10 km walking- and biking-trail without street-crossings.
  • Forrest Weitmarer, a small, but the biggest one inside of Bochum, forest nearby the districts of Weitmar and Sundern.
  • Kortumpark is situated at Wittener-Str. next hand to main station. It is a very old park with graves of some famous citizens which offers a good view onto the city at some locations.
  • Gysenberg Park, leisure park between Bochum und Herne. You will find there a bath, leisure equipments, a little zoo, playing grounds for children and a small forest.
  • Mont Tippelsberg is the highest hill at the northern limits of Bochum. According to a legend, long time ago the giant Tipulus settled down there, and when he removed the soil from his boots, the Tippelsberg formed. A visit of Tippelsberg is highly recommended, the view from top onto the middle part of the Ruhr Area being excellent. Information boards advise of the landmarks around.
  • Mutten-Valley. At Witten. It offers many relicts from the beginning of the mining period: mouth of galleries, machines, models of old mines. It is very impressive seeing it. 

Those who like it should visit the ruin of

  • Castle Hardenstein nearby, an about 15 minutes walk aside river Ruhr. According to legends gnome Goldemar should have lived there 700 years ago.

Do

Events

Steam-Festival
  • Jumble Sale. In front of the city hall every third Saturday per month 
  • Steam-Festival. Presentation of old, steam-powered street-vehicles, about every second year on the ground of Mine Hannover in Bochum-Hordel 
  • FIDENA. Marionette Theatre 
  • Bochum Maiabend. Festival with medival roots at last weekend in April. 
Bochum Total
  • Bochum Total. Rock-Music-Festival, one of the largest and most-important admission-free music-festivals in Germany. It starts every year at fist Thursday after schoolout in summer and lasts for four days in the city. 
  • Fiege Kino Open Air cinema outside in the yard of Fiege Brewery next to main station.
  • Sparkassen Giro siehe unter Sport
  • Bochum7up in Bochum Lagendreer - festival in suburb 7, derivated from times where old zip-code was valid
  • Uemminger-Summertime. At lake Ümmingen 
  • Kemnader See in Flammen
  • Kemnader See- und Hafenfest
  • Extraschicht. The night of industrial heritage at June, refer also section "Culture". 
  • Open Flair. One weekend at September, Raree Show, admission free 
  • Bochum Kulinarisch. In August chifs of Bochum and nearby conjure up delicacies of their cuisine for low budget to taste. 
  • Bochumer Musiksommer. Music-Summer, a weekend full of music from Classic to Rock at Massenberg Boulevard, admission free 
  • Kemnade International Festival of World Culture
  • Piano-Festival-Ruhr. 
  • Bochumer wine-market during September
  • Oktober-market
  • Bochum's Christmas. Including medival Christmas market around Paulus-church, craftsmanship and the sound of historical instruments 
  • Ruhrtriennale. Classical theatre in industrial ambiente in and all around Bochum 

Parish Fair

Bars

Inside Bermuda3eck
  • The Bermuda3eck (Bermude-Triangle) is the trendy district in Bochum and at the Ruhr as well. About 75 Bars, Restaurants, Cafes und Bistros are located here. They offer 10,000 seats, in summertime 3,000 of them open air. The Bermuda-Triagle is located around the Engelbert-Square.

Culture

Music

Cinema

Theatre and Musicals

Bathing and Wellness

  • Stadtbad Hallenbad am Massenberg Boulevard in der City, Sauna, Massagen, Wassergymnastik
  • Sauna, Fitness und Massage in der Meditheme am Ruhrpark (ehem. Aquadrom)
  • Nordwestbad, ☏ +49 234 524718. Hallenfreibad Hofstede, Stettiner Str. 1-3, 
  • Freizeitbad Heveney, ☏ +49 2302 56263. Hallen- und Freibad (schon Stadtgebiet Witten am Kemnader See), großer Saunabereich, beheiztes Außenbecken auch im Winter nutzbar, 
  • Hallenfreibad Höntrop, Am Südpark 1, Tel +49 2327 73167
  • Hallenfreibad Langendreer, Eschweg 50, Tel +49 234 287547
  • Hallenfreibad Linden, Brannenweg 10, Tel +49 234 494257
  • Hallenbad Querenburg,

Sunbathing

  • Municipal Park grassy area below the park-restaurantauf - they do not like but accept it
  • Westpark, situated at Alleestraße near downtown, much space, admission free, see item Parks also
  • Lake Kemnade, nord-west bank at the hillside, sun position adverse in the afternoon, admission free
  • Grassy Area at the Ruhr in Dahlhausen, clean, much space, admission free

not recommended is the area at lake Uemmingen, much dirt by dugs and swans.

Trips

Sport

Football

Rewirpower-Stadion

Rewirpower-Station and VFL-Bochum are synonymes for excellent football. In 2011 the Rewirpower-Station is location for some matches of the FIFA Women's World Cup. It is situated outside the city at Castroper-Street. Public Transport: Subway 308/318, from Main Station go direction Schürbankstrasse. Leave the train at Rewirpower-Stadion

Cycling and Jogging

  • The Ore-Route (Erzbahntrasse) is a 10 km walking, jogging and cycle trail starting at West-Park and ending at canal-harbour Grimberg in Gelsenkirchen with connection to the Emscher-Trail. It has no street-cossing (except one with a small farm-track), highways, roads, rivers and railways are crossed by bridges, some of them quite impressive. It is one of the best routes within the Ruhr Area. Many sections of the route are situated on a 15 mhigh ridge, so you have a fine view onto settlements, pithead-towers, industry grounds, rock-dumps but also onto parks, fields, forests - for short onto the typical surroundings of the Ruhr.
  • The Kray-Wanner-Route deverges from the Ore-Route about 6 km behind the starting point and leads westwards to world heritage site Zollverein. Unfortunately, it has 4 street crossings. It passes rock-dump Rhein-Elbe which is situated between the district of Wattenscheid and the city of Gelsenkirchen. You should climb up, it is quite easy on well constructed paths and the view from top is excellent.
  • Ruhr-Trail. The Ruhrtal-Radweg, a cycle route, leads from the river's source to its mouth into river Rhine at Duisburg. Its total length is 230 km. 
  • Emscher-Trail. Emscher Radweg, is a cycle-route beside river Emscher or Rhein-Herne-canal. It leads across the region with most heavy industry, so you pass by factories and harbours, many of them closed down. It makes a strange but interesting ambiance. 

Mountain Bike

There is a training ground in Bochum-Weitmar at An der Holtbrügge, admission free.

Inline Skating

  • bitumized road (in common with cyclists, separated from walkers) around lake Kemnade, ca 9,5 bzw. 11 km.
  • towpath beside river Ruhr

Learn

  • Ruhr-Universität View onto the Forum and the Engineering Buildings
  • The Ruhr-University (RUB) has an excellent international repputation. Address: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780 Bochum, Fon: +49 234 32-201 Fax: +49 234 14-201
  • Drama School Bochum Study Course Drama Bochum of Folkwang-Hochschule Essen, Lohring 20, 44789 Bochum

Buy

Kortumstrasse

The main shopping-streets in Bochum downtown are Kortumstrasse and Huestrasse.

  • Kortumstrasse
  • Huestrasse
  • Massenberg Boulevard
  • Shopping center Ruhr Park at the eastern city limits.

Souveniers

Beside the standard articles like beer-glasses and t-shirts, available at the ticket shop at Huestrasse, a pitlamp is a good tip.

Eat

Style
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Cuisine

The cuisine of Bochum is the cuisine of The Ruhr. That was a Westphalian cuisine with strong East-Prussian and Rhenish impact. That means good and solid meals with much fat. Eaten was much cabbage, meat of rabbit, goat, pork and sometimes pigeons. IThe cuisine has changed and is still changing. On one hand, people do not have to labour so hard any more, but, on the other hand, people have more money to spend. Also are the immigrants. They brought their own cuisine with them. Today there is Turkish, Polish, sometimes Russian and most of all Mediterranean influence.

  • To Bochum belongs "The Original" of butcher "Dönnighaus". That is a light sausage. It is well known even outside Bochum's limits and is the basis of a real good curried Sausage. Every visitor should taste it. You can get it all over the city at snack bars.
  • One enlaged weekend in summer there is Bochum kulinarisch. Chefs from and around Bochum conjure up delicacies of their cuisine for low budget to taste. It takes place at Massenberg Boulevard, ask at the tourist office for the exact date.
  • September to February, blue mussels will be offered which are treated as a delicacy.
  • During May, there are Dutch "Matjes". These are salted herrings but with gentle taste.
  • Also during May is the period of asparagus. It exists as white and green one, mainly from France (first) and Germany. The German white asparagus is the best one.
  • Many Turkish and Arabic shops offer little sweets made from puff pastry, almonds, coconut flakes, honey and a lot of sugar (the Turkish name is tatle´). The Turkish ones are extremely sweet. The Arabic ones are similar to the European taste. They are both worth a try.

Budget

Mid-range

  • Avli, Luisenstr. 14 (im Luisenhof). Greek cuisine 
  • Livingroom, Luisenstr. 9-13. new international cuisine 
  • Pacific Barbeque, Widumestr. 6. Mongolian cuisine 
  • Side, Hattinger Str. 601 (5 km vom Zentrum). Turkish cuisine 
  • Stätlingshof, Altenbochumer Str. 64 (in Altenbochum (4 km from town)). Australian and international cuisine 
  • Tapas, Kortumstr. 3,. Spanish cuisine 
  • Una Mas, Hans-Böckler-Str. 34. Spanish cuisine 
  • Zur Uhle, Huestr. 24a. 

Splurge

Drink

The Ruhr people drink beer. Of course, every restaurant has a wine card, but in pubs and during relaxed getting-together, they prefer beer. All beer in Germany and at the Ruhr as well is brewed according to the German purity law: only water, hop and malt. If you visit Bochum, you should taste one (or more) of the local products!

  • There is only one big brewery left in Bochum: Fiege. You can get its beer everywehere but mainly in Fiege's Stammhaus [1].
    • Fiege Pils: the taste is comfartable bitter and hoppy, the colour is strong yellow.
    • Fiege Gründer: due to the original recipe, the taste is more smooth
    • Bläck Mäck: a dark beer with strong taste
    • Bockbier (only during May): a beer with double alcohol (7%)
  • Brewing House Tauffenbach, Gerberstr. 19, 44787 Bochum. Only here can you get the very light and sweet Tauffenbach-Pils. 

Sleep

Connect

Stay safe

The cities within the Ruhr area are among the safest in Germany. Since the Ruhr 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.

Cope

Go next

... to other cities of the Ruhr area

to Düsseldorf [7], Köln [8]

  • Carnival

Münster [9]

  • old town

Münsterland [10]

Sauerland [12]

Bergisches Land [16]

or to the Niederlande.



This city travel guide to Bochum is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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