A Fresh Perspective on Travel Every Day
Duisburg, a prominent industrial node in the Ruhr region, remains Germany’s foremost steel-producing city, even as numerous heavy industries in the area have diminished. The city’s extensive tonnage is facilitated by the largest river port globally, located at the junction of the Rhine and the Ruhr.
The cradle of industry in the Ruhr, Oberhausen is a city that emerged in the 1860s due to a combined metallurgy and coalmining initiative, attracting thousands of families who established communities such as Siedlung Eisenheim, one of Germany’s earliest company towns.
Situated in the heart of the Ruhr Area, Gelsenkirchen is an industrial city positioned just northeast of Essen. The 19th century saw a surge in population due to coal mining, leading to significant growth, with remnants of this era, including headframes and slag heaps, preserved as monuments along the Ruhr’s Industrial Heritage Trail.
Situated on the south bank of the Ruhr, Hagen is a city that seamlessly combines cultural experiences, industrial heritage, and expansive green parks. Notably, Hagen holds the title of the greenest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, which can be attributed to its hilly terrain and the two water reservoirs located along the Ruhr River.
Straddling the Ruhr River, Mülheim is a historic city surrounded by smaller settlements that emerged during the industrialization of the 19th century. Mülheim was among the first cities in the Ruhr area to transition from heavy industry to a service-oriented economy. The last mine, Rosenblumendelle, was closed in 1966, and today, one would hardly suspect that mining activities ever took place in the city.