READY FOR A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE?
Entdeckungen
Exciting Places
Entdeckungen
With NEW COLOURS, we are not only presenting an exciting, high-calibre international festival, but also a city that has been undergoing structural change for over two decades, but has received so little attention, quite unjustifiably, in line with the motto “There are many reasons to advertise - what it needs are occasions”.
Gelsenkirchen is more than just the home of FC Schalke 04 - much more in fact. So “Gelsenkirchen (...) can disprove its reputation as a city of faded industrial culture and soccer obsession” says UKJazzNews London.
“This festival is not only a journey into an exciting culture, but
an examination of the Ruhr region and its own homeland.”
Gelsenkirchen is not only full of people with that very special Ruhr Valley charm, but also has an amazingly high recreational value. It is one of the greenest cities in Germany and boasts several historical castles and palaces. Many artists have their studios and galleries, especially in the creative quarter of Ückendorf. There are also many exciting places of industrial heritage, an important museum, a multi-award-winning opera house, beautiful parkland and accessible slag heaps where you can experience the Ruhr region in 3D. And then, of course, there is the “rest” of the Ruhr region, which lies geographically at Gelsenkirchen's feet and the Münsterland region to the north. Gelsenkirchen is waiting to be discovered.
With a population of around 270,000, Gelsenkirchen is the center of the northern Ruhr region. The city was once one of the richest in Germany. The coal, steel, chemical, glass and clothing industries were the pillars of the city's economy. Only the chemical industry remains. As a result of this enormous structural change, it has become one of the poorest cities. Qualified jobs could only be created with difficulty, qualified people migrate or have their center of life in other areas of the Ruhr region. The result: only a few companies and qualified employees are attracted to Gelsenkirchen; investors give the city a wide berth. The following examples are intended to show how much quality of life this city offers and what great potential it has.
VIEWS - THE RUHR AREA IN 3D
Anyone who climbs the slag heaps of the Ruhr area will never cease to be amazed. The Ruhr area with its 5 million inhabitants is without doubt the world's greenest metropolis. Two of the most beautiful spoil tips are located in Gelsenkirchen.
RHEINELBE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
Over the course of decades, a forest landscape has developed naturally on industrial wasteland in the middle of the Ückendorf district on the old Rheinelbe colliery site. The highlight of this Rheinelbe industrial forest is quite literally the 85-meter-high spiral mountain of the Rheinelbe slagheap in the south. The artist Herman Prigann created the “stairway to heaven” on the slag heap plateau. It consists of the concrete relics of a Dortmund colliery and rises Aztec-like into the sky.
RUNGENBERG SLAG HEAP
Piled up from black tailings, two pyramids rise ungreened and almost inhospitable into the sky and form the twin peaks of the Rungenberg spoil tip. Dark structures crowned by thick tubes of rusted steel - and the radiant light of the floodlights housed inside. An artistic play on contrasts that elevates the slag heap to an extraordinary work of art. But not only that, the Rungenberghalde is also a “hiker's paradise”. And such paths create perspectives that transport us to low mountain landscapes.
NORDSTERNTURM
The Nordstern Tower is 83 meters high. It was designed by industrial architect Fritz Schupp in the early 1950s and houses impressive conveyor technology from the coal mining era. Today it is a listed building. It is the only one of its kind that is open to visitors. It is crowned by the Hercules sculpture by Markus Lüpertz. A viewing platform promises a breathtaking panorama of the Ruhr region. Inside is the exhibition “Change is always”, about the exciting and eventful history of the Nordstern site.
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ART & CULTURE
Anyone who believes that Gelsenkirchen's culture is limited to the “Gelsenkirchen Baroque” is mistaken. Because Gelsenkirchen is culturally diverse and can also produce great art.
MUSIC THEATER IN THE REVIER
When it opened in 1959, the Gelsenkirchen music theater was the subject of international admiration. Today, critics have repeatedly voted it the best opera house in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, it not only impresses with its exquisite, high-quality program, but also with its interior and exterior architecture. Renowned artists were involved in the planning of the Musiktheater im Revier from the very beginning, including Yves Klein's largest monochromes in the world, the sponge reliefs in “Gelsenkirchen Blue” and Jean Tinguely, who designed the side walls of the foyer of the small house as a movable installation.
ART MUSEUM GELSENKIRCHEN
The collection of paintings at the Kunstmuseum Gelsenkirchen is representative in the best sense of the word and traces the history of German art since the dawn of modernism. However, the presentation of kinetic works of art is particularly unique and stands out not only among the RuhrKunstMuseen with related works of light art and op art.
CREATIVE QUARTER ÜCKENDORF AND ARTISTS' ESTATE HALFMANNSHOF
The Kreativ.Quartier Ückendorf actually consists of at least three different urban landscapes - and not just one district. Each has its own history and challenges, which now complement each other perfectly when it comes to creativity, art and socioculture in the center of the Ruhr area as an effective and developing space. Ückendorf would probably never have become a creative quarter if it had not been for the artists' housing estate, which was founded in 1931 and is therefore the oldest in Germany. Today, however, the artists' housing estate only consists of fragments of the former artistic landscape. The Halfmannshof artists' estate.
ART IN PUBLIC SPACES
When Gelsenkirchen was still one of the wealthy cities, the city fathers also attached great importance to art in public spaces. And here you can actually discover various impressive works of art. Some works are immediately recognizable as works of art, while others are so naturally integrated into the cityscape that they are no longer perceived as such.
FINEARTJAZZ CONCERT SERIES
The FineArtJazz concert series has existed since 2013 and has since staged over 200 concerts with top-class national and international artists in special venues in the northern Ruhr region. In 2021 and 2022, the series planned and organized by PublicJazz was awarded the APPLAUS by the Minister of State for Culture for its outstanding and trend-setting live music programme in the field of popular music and jazz. In addition to the festival's venues, the series plays and has played at other venues in Gelsenkirchen, Marl, Dorsten, Recklinghausen and Herten.
INDUSTRIAL CULTURE
Industrial culture, a term that could not be more ambivalent. However, if you take a closer look at industrial culture and the cultural history of the industrial age, exciting horizons open up and interesting discoveries are made. Especially at the beginning of industrialization, industrial buildings and workers' housing estates were built, whose detailed architectural and urban design still amazes today.
SCHÜNGELBERG MINING ESTATE
The original Schüngelberg estate in Gelsenkirchen-Buer is a typical example of a garden city miners' estate from the end of the 19th century. It was built between 1897 and 1919 at the foot of the Rungenberghalde for the miners of the neighboring Hugo colliery according to plans by the colliery architect Wilhelm Johow. In addition to the workers' houses, the estate concept also included semi-detached houses for civil servants. A signposted circular route in the estate invites you to discover the estate. The Rungenberg slag heap borders directly on the estate. After climbing a 200-step staircase, you are rewarded with a magnificent view.
NORDSTERN COLLIERY
The first coal mines were developed on the site as early as 1855. From 1951 to 1953, the conveyor systems were renovated. The architect, Fritz Schupp. He was also responsible for the architectural design of the Zollverein Coal Mine World Heritage Site. Coal production at Nordstern ceased in 1982 following the merger of the Nordstern and Zollverein collieries. In 1997, the colliery site was used for the Federal Garden Show. As part of the RUHR 2010 - Capital of Culture 2010, the winding tower was extended by 4 glass floors and crowned with the 18 meter high and 23 ton monumental sculpture Hercules by Markus Lüpertz.
KLAPPHECKENHOF COLLIERY HOUSING ESTATE
Between 1873 and 1882, a housing estate consisting of three rows of houses was built near Wilhelmine Victoria colliery's pit 2, of which the only remaining traces are the retaining walls for a low spoil tip, on which the “Grüner Hügel” housing estate was built around 1975. The gardens were located beyond the initially unpaved access roads. The settlement conveys the appearance of the early Gelsenkirchen colonies very well...
CONSOLIDATION COLLIERY
The Consolidation colliery (also known as 'Consol') was much more than just a coal mine. It was the engine of Gelsenkirchen, 'the city of a thousand fires'. It was a workplace for countless employees and an important sponsor of a soccer club that was one of the biggest in Europe: FC Schalke 04. The history of the colliery began near the Schalker Markt. The first shaft was sunk there in 1863. Since then, the colliery has experienced a legendary rise that lasted more than 100 years. In 1973, Germany's highest winding tower, at 95 meters high, was put into operation. It was demolished again when the mine was closed in 1996.
Entdeckungen
HISTORICAL
It's hard to believe, but Gelsenkirchen also has a lot of history. There are two not insignificant castles and two fortresses in Gelsenkirchen. Proof that the region was already populated before industrialization. The district of Buer in the north of the city celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 2003.
COAL MINE SETTLEMENT DICKEBANK SEAM
It is one of the oldest settlements in the Ruhr region: The Flöz Dickebank estate, laid out as the Ottilienaue colony, was built from 1868 for the workers of the Alma colliery. The Gelsenkirchen estate gained national fame thanks to the strong resistance of its residents against the threat of demolition in the early 1970s. From then on, the colony developed into a regional center of citizens' initiatives against the demolition of workers' housing estates in the Ruhr area.
Historisches
LÜTTINGHOF THE CASTLE IN THE WATER
Lüttinghof is a moated castle located in the very north of the city of Gelsenkirchen. The lowland castle was built at the beginning of the 14th century and is the oldest listed building in the city. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was redesigned by the Lords of Nesselrode in the Baroque style and an ornamental garden was also laid out. In addition to classical concerts and other events, top-class jazz events from the “FineArtJazz in Gelsenkirchen” series also regularly take place in the “Rittersaal”. The moated castle is no longer open to the public. Only private parties are held here.
Historisches
BERGE CASTLE
Berge Castle, also known as Haus Berge, stands on the south side of Buerschen Berg in the district of Buer. It was first mentioned in 1248 by the knight Dietrich from the noble Berge family. It was the ancestral seat of the family until 1433. The first park was laid out around 1700. In keeping with the taste of the time, this was a geometrically designed baroque garden based on the French model. The park, which today covers around 73 hectares, surrounds the baroque Schloss Berge. Today there is an extensive French rococo garden, which is based on the style of the first design, and the castle park with an English landscape garden.
Historisches
HORST CASTLE
Horst Castle is one of the oldest buildings in the town and one of the most important Renaissance castles in Westphalia. It stands on the site of a medieval castle that was damaged by fire in 1554 and was owned by the noble von der Horst family. Horst Castle experienced its rebirth in the 1990s. Thanks to the support of the Förderverein Schloss Horst e.V., the dilapidated building was partially restored and a modern steel and glass construction spanning the former inner courtyard created a space with a very special atmosphere in which cultural events of all kinds take place.
Historisches
HAUS LEITHE
The house was the ancestral seat of the Knights of Leithe. Their property in the farming community of Leithe was a fief of Deutz Abbey. They built their house not far from the Fronhof Schulte-Herveling. The family died out in 1438. The estate passed into the hands of various nobles and finally burghers. Today it is privately owned and is increasingly falling into disrepair.
GREEN
All rankings place Gelsenkirchen among the greenest cities in Germany. Anyone who climbs the slag heaps or the Nordstern Tower will be able to see this for themselves. Park after park is lined up in the urban area and there are forests and lush agricultural areas on the outskirts. So it's no wonder that one of the festival's program items takes place on a farm.
Grünes
OUR FAVORITE PLACE: RHEINELBE INDUSTRIAL FOREST
The so-called “residual area project” was launched back in 1996 as part of the Emscher Park International Building Exhibition. Its aim is to develop industrial wastelands in the Ruhr area through natural succession into forests and new biologically diverse, multifunctional and valued habitats for flora and fauna; they are hotspots of biological diversity and fascinating places when it comes to the sensory experience of the impressive way in which nature reclaims the habitat after massive destruction. On the site of the former Rheinelbe colliery and its spoil tip, there was never any “artificial” renaturation like on most other spoil tips.
Grünes
CITY GARDEN
The Stadtgarten was created in 1896 as a public park and was the first park of its kind in Gelsenkirchen on the site of the former Schalke farm. Here you can walk or jog along winding paths, long avenues, under old, sometimes exotic trees, along meadows and colorful flowerbeds. You can also relax by several ponds and a fountain garden. However, the old trees are particularly impressive.
Grünes
CITY FOREST GELSENKIRCHEN-BUER
As a bridge between the existing private woodlands of Löchterheide, Westerholter Wald and the main cemetery, which was opened in 1899, the 28-hectare municipal forest was opened to the public in 1924 under Mayor de la Chevalerie. In terms of garden design history, the city forest is a typical example of a public park, the forerunner of today's leisure parks.
Grünes
EMSCHERBRUCH
The Emscherbruch is well developed with a ten-kilometer network of hiking and cycling trails. There are 26 hectares of arable land and grassland in the Emscherbruch. Together with the adjacent woodland, these form ecologically valuable habitats that are of great importance from an ecological point of view. Without human intervention, these have developed into attractive habitats for insects, amphibians and waterfowl. These areas can be easily viewed and observed from the hiking trails, some of which are directly adjacent. It is hard to imagine that you are in the middle of the Ruhr area.
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LEISURE
There are few cities that offer their residents and visitors such a diverse range of leisure activities. There are countless sports clubs of all kinds in Gelsenkirchen, including a well-known soccer club. But especially those who don't like clubs will find a wide range of options for practicing their sport or spending their free time. In addition to the many green spaces that invite you to take long walks and hikes, there are many other possibilities.
Freizeit
ZOOM
With up to 1,000,000 visitors a year, “ZOOM” is one of the most popular zoos in Germany. Here you can experience a “trip around the world in one day” in the heart of the Ruhr region. The adventure worlds of Alaska, Africa and Asia have been created on more than 30 hectares. With 900 animals of over 100 species, they offer a true-to-life home. The landscape architecture is impressive, with almost invisible boundaries between humans and animals. On 4.2 km of paths over hills, through valleys and along the water, visitors succumb to the fascination of this world of experience.
Freizeit
CLIMBING
Climbing in the open air, yes, there is that too. A climbing facility run by the Gelsenkirchen section of the Alpine Club. It is located on the site of the Nordstern colliery, which was renaturalized as part of the 1997 Federal Garden Show, and consists of three artificial towers that can be climbed from all sides, with a height of over 16 metres and a surface area of 1070 square metres. The “rocks” come very close to natural rock. There is also a “boulder bar” in a former cave. At over 2300 square meters, it is one of the largest of its kind.
Freizeit
CANOE & ROWING
Founded in 1927, the Gelsenkirchen Canoe Club is one of the most traditional clubs in Gelsenkirchen. The Gelsenkirchen Rowing Club is even older, having been founded in 1920. The clubs' territory is the Rhine-Herne Canal, which runs through the city from east to west and is not only an Eldorado for water sports enthusiasts, but also invites you to go on bike tours and walks. The area around the Gelsenkirchen canal lock is particularly attractive, with the “Monument of a Forgotten Future” by artists Olaf Nicolai and Douglas Gordon in the immediate vicinity. Unhindered paddling and rowing fun is possible on the approx. 9 km between the Wanne and Gelsenkirchen locks.
BIKE TOURS
The Ruhr region is an exceptional destination for a cycling vacation in Germany. A dense cycle path network of over 1,200 kilometers serves as the basic framework for the radrevier.ruhr, which has been certified by the ADFC as Germany's first urban RadReiseRegion! Here you can expect relaxed rail route cycling, scenic canal-side paths, impressive industrial monuments and slag heaps that make cycling in the Ruhr region so special.
Freizeit
TRABRENNBAHN
Anyone who loves sport and excitement will get their money's worth at the Gelsenkirchen trotting track. The first official starting signal for a harness race was given on the site of a former airfield back in 1912. Since then, harness racing in Gelsenkirchen has continuously expanded its leading position in Germany. It is not only the “normal” race days that attract trotting fans with their exciting atmosphere. The meetings where the races are framed by show and entertainment are particularly popular.
Freizeit
GOLFING
It's hard to believe that there are three golf clubs in Gelsenkirchen in a wonderful scenic location. The Schloss Horst Golf Club is located under the Nirdsternturm tower, the Haus Leythe Golf Club is situated on the grounds of the medieval Leythe Castle, which was first mentioned in documents in 1371, and the Schloss Westerholt Golf Club is located on the border between Gelsenkirchen and Herten.
Freizeit
INDOOR SPORTS
Alma Park is Europe's largest indoor leisure park. On over 15,000 m², it offers you exciting activities such as adventure golf, trampoline park, escape rooms, virtual reality and much more. Come rain or shine, Alma Park offers weather-independent fun and action for you and your friends. Here you will find pure adrenaline and fun, perfect for all adventure seekers.
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SCIENCE & RESEARCH
Gelsenkirchen can also be smart. With the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences and the Science Park, Gelsenkirchen has two outstanding educational and research institutions in which a number of other research institutes are located.
WESTPHALIAN UNIVERSITY
The Westphalian University of Applied Sciences has its origins in the State Engineering School for Mechanical Engineering in Gelsenkirchen-Buer, which began operations on October 1, 1962. The university has a technical, scientific and economic profile, supplemented by courses in law and journalism/public relations. It offers 25 Bachelor's degree courses and 21 Master's degree courses in eight departments. The university currently has around 9,000 students at all locations, half of whom are in Gelsenkirchen.
Vom Stahlwerk zum Open Space. Vor über 25 Jahren startete der Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen als das Symbol für den Strukturwandel der Region. Mittlerweile hat er sich als beliebter Treffpunkt für Menschen mit guten Ideen, Projekten und Unternehmen etabliert. Die preisgekrönte Architektur inspiriert außergewöhnliche Veranstaltungen, Ausstellungen und Messen. Erleben Sie diesen einzigartigen Ort der Chancen und Möglichkeiten - mitten in der Metropole Ruhr.Vom Stahlwerk zum Open Space. Vor über 25 Jahren startete der Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen als das Symbol für den Strukturwandel der Region. Mittlerweile hat er sich als beliebter Treffpunkt für Menschen mit guten Ideen, Projekten und Unternehmen etabliert. Die preisgekrönte Architektur inspiriert außergewöhnliche Veranstaltungen, Ausstellungen und Messen. Erleben Sie diesen einzigartigen Ort der Chancen und Möglichkeiten - mitten in der Metropole Ruhr.
SCIENCE PARK
From steelworks to open space. The Gelsenkirchen Science Park began over 25 years ago as a symbol of the region's structural change. It has since established itself as a popular meeting place for people with good ideas, projects and companies. The award-winning architecture inspires extraordinary events, exhibitions and trade fairs. In addition to topics in the health, IT and cultural industries, one focus of activities is in the field of future energies.
IKT - INSTITUTE FOR UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE
The IKT is a leading research institute for underground pipeline construction. The focus is on sewer systems. The IKT carries out research projects, tests, product tests, consultations and seminars for the construction, operation and renovation of underground infrastructure facilities.
IAT - INSTITUTE FOR WORK AND TECHNOLOGY
The IAT is a research and development institution whose scientific and practical interest is in the organization of knowledge and innovation for sustainable prosperity and quality of life. As a central institution of the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences and cooperation partner of the Ruhr University Bochum, the IAT forms a joint competence center for innovation of the two universities.
HSPV - UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES FOR POLICE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION NORTH RHINE WESTPHALIA
The HSPV NRW trains students at various locations in North Rhine-Westphalia for the higher civil service in local and state administration, pension insurance and the police.
BAUKULTUR NRW
Baukultur deals with the qualification of building and the appreciation of the built environment. Baukultur always deals with quality standards and the awareness that our built environment must always have a social significance.
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IN THE SURROUNDING AREA
Gelsenkirchen's special geographical location in the Ruhr region is both a curse and a blessing. Just as it offers many employees the possibility of not living in Gelsenkirchen but still being able to get to their workplaces quickly, it enables Gelsenkirchen residents to travel quickly to any other place in the Ruhr region or, for example, the Münsterland.
HOHEWARD SLAGHEAP | HERTEN
Together with the adjacent Hoppenbruch spoil tip, the Hoheward spoil tip is one of the largest spoil tip landscapes in Europe. The Ewald colliery was responsible for the creation of the slagheap, which was once the deepest mining shaft in the Ruhr area at over 1500 meters. A walk around the slag heap at the level of the balcony promenade, which is around 6.4 km long, offers views in every direction. On a clear day, you can even see the Rhine Tower in Düsseldorf 50 km away. The slag heap measures 152.5 meters in height. It is crowned by a huge horizon observatory.
RUHRMUSEUM | ESSEN
The Ruhr Museum is located in the former coal washing plant of the Zollverein Coal Mine, Shaft XII in Essen. As a regional museum, it shows the entire natural and cultural history of the Ruhr region in its permanent exhibition. It does not see itself as a traditional industrial museum, but as a memorial and showcase for the Ruhr metropolis. In addition to the permanent exhibition on the nature, culture and history of the Ruhr region, the Ruhr Museum regularly presents special exhibitions, including on topics not related to the Ruhr region.
TETRAHEDRON | BOTTROP
On the “Monte Schlacko”, one of the larger slag heaps in the Ruhr region, stands a landmark that cannot be overlooked - designed and maintained by the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR). The mighty, almost 60-meter-high tetrahedron rests on four pillars above the ground, so that it appears to float when viewed from a distance. A free-floating staircase leads to the first platform at a height of 18 meters. Even from here, the view is fantastic. Continue up a steep ladder to a height of 38 meters. From there, a spiral staircase leads to the top platform, which hangs slightly tilted on steel cables. You should only decide how far you want to go when you get there, as it takes a bit of courage.
FOLKWANG MUSEUM
The Museum Folkwang is one of the most important art museums in Germany. The Museum Folkwang attracted particular attention throughout Germany at the end of June 2015 when it became the first major German museum to offer free admission to its permanent exhibition. The Museum Folkwang's collection of paintings comprises around 600 works of 19th century, modern and contemporary art. The museum also regularly hosts nationally and internationally acclaimed special exhibitions.
ZOLLVEREIN COLLIERY
The Zollverein Coal Mine and Coking Plant was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 14, 2001 as the “Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex”. Since then, the former industrial complex has officially been one of the most important cultural assets in the world. “The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen is a remarkable industrial monument because its buildings are outstanding examples of the application of the design concepts of [...] Bauhaus architecture. The technical and other structures at Zollverein document a decisive phase of Europe's traditional heavy industry, in which architectural concepts of exceptional quality were used sensitively and confidently.” (UNESCO statement)
HALDE HANIEL
The view to the north is breathtaking. It's like being in Scandinavia. The tailings of the Prosper-Haniel colliery tower 185 meters above sea level. Reason enough for a summit cross that is more than just a landmark. It is part of the Way of the Cross, inaugurated in 1995, which was created by nun Tisa von Schulenburg together with Oberhausen artist Adolf Radecki and trainees from the mine. This is by no means the only surprise that the spoil tip has in store for visitors - apart from a fantastic view.
MY RUHR AREA SIGHTSEEING...
If you want more about the Ruhr region, you should visit the Ruhr-Tourismus website. Here you will find even more sightseeing tips, as well as information on travel planning, other events and much more.
DIGITAL
Here are a few more exciting finds from the world of the Internet.
RUHR ART MUSEUMS
The RuhrKunstMuseen stand for a unique urban museum landscape and an outstanding density of modern art, ranging from the 19th century through modernism to the present day. An interconnected network of top-class collections spans the entire Ruhr region and is housed in industrial buildings, palaces, outstanding architecture from the post-war decades and spectacular new buildings. The RuhrKunstMuseen have been operating under this name as a network since 2010 and pursue a joint marketing strategy: this includes agreeing on a corporate design that can be found on the joint website, in exhibition booklets and at trade fairs and events. Behind the link you will find a digital exhibition with 21x21 works.
