Ruhr Area: Discover Industrial Heritage and Routes

In the Ruhr Area, impressive reminders of its industrial heritage meet paths through cities and landscapes. Viewpoints offer new perspectives on the region; museums tell the story of working life and its history. When planning a stay, you can choose between longer cycling routes, shorter city tours, and individual visits with a range of different focuses.

Industrial Heritage in Many Forms

The Route of Industrial Heritage network connects important industrial heritage sites in the Ruhr Area. It includes 27 anchor points, 17 viewpoints, and 13 settlements. Themed routes explore nature, urban history, architecture, mining, and transport. This lets you focus on particular aspects of the region, from its technological history to its buildings and urban development.

At the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site, guided tours cover the preserved above-ground facilities of the coal mine and coking plant, as well as the World Heritage Site grounds. The machine hall at the LWL Museum Zeche Zollern offers another perspective on industrial heritage: steel and glass define this industrial building, whose colorful Art Nouveau glass entrance portal makes a striking impression. In Bochum-Weitmar, the permanent exhibition at Situation Kunst/Museum unter Tage presents landscape art spanning the 15th century to the present across more than 1,000 square meters. The LVR Industrial Museum St. Antony Ironworks features a permanent exhibition in the former director’s residence.

The Gasometer Oberhausen is a 117-meter-high gas holder, an industrial monument, and today an exhibition venue. Its roof can be reached by outdoor elevator or by climbing 592 steps, and offers panoramic views. As operational details may change, it is best to check current access options before your visit. During museum opening hours, an elevator ride in the headframe at the German Mining Museum Bochum takes visitors to the first of two viewing platforms. From there, the view stretches across the region shaped by mining.

Views, Art, and Special Places

At the Tetraeder Bottrop, the first platform is 18 meters high; another platform is 20 meters above it and offers panoramic views of the metropolitan region. Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain brings together art, adventure, and an immersive experience in the form of a walkable roller-coaster sculpture. On a clear day, the view from the loop reaches as far as Düsseldorf and the airport tower.

At the LWL Museum Henrichshütte, the “Path of Iron” leads to a viewpoint on Blast Furnace 3. From a height of 55 meters, visitors can look out over the Ruhr Valley. At the demonstration foundry, demonstrations and stories from former employees, sharing their experiences as contemporary witnesses, illustrate historical working life. At Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park, industrial heritage and nature come together in a park setting. Visitors wishing to use the high ropes course climb between Blast Furnaces 1 and 2 at a height of 55 meters; advance booking is required.

Exploring by Bike or on Foot

The Route of Industrial Heritage by Bike is a 300-kilometer circular route connecting the Ruhr Area’s most important industrial monuments. It often runs away from road traffic, following well-maintained paths on former railway lines and along riverbanks. A junction-based system helps with navigation. This long-distance cycling route is quite different from the Urban.Trails: the city routes in the Ruhr Area are 7 to 15 kilometers long and designed as half-day or full-day tours.

The Urban.Trail Essen is one example. It starts at the south exit of Essen Central Station and ends at Essen-Hügel S-Bahn station. If you plan to use this endpoint, check current local public transport timetables. The approximately 100-kilometer Emscher Way passes through the Ruhr Area, taking in industrial backdrops, art installations, and nature. The different route lengths and tour formats can help you decide whether to focus your stay on a day in the city or a cycling route.

You can also choose based on the individual places you want to visit: the Emscher Way combines nature and industrial backdrops along a route, while the Urban.Trails are designed as city routes. This helps you find a location that suits your interests without having to fit every destination into a single outing.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Bonn, Herford, Ennepe-Ruhr District, Düsseldorf, Leverkusen, Rhein-Erft District, Coesfeld, Viersen.

Back to the regional travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.