Today, the New Europe Kids spent an exciting day exploring one of Europe's former largest coal-mining and steel-manufacturing areas: the Ruhr.
Kicking it off with a two hour guided bike tour through Landscape Park Duisburg Nord, the students were impressed to learn how a site where the blast-furnace heat was once almost unbearable can nowadays be used for relaxing and cultural recreation.
Without question, the former steel and coal production plant makes a clear break with its history: old gas tanks have been turned into large indoor pools for scuba divers, concrete walls are today used by rock climbers, a former cast house serves as an open air movie theater, and one of the most central places of the factory, the middle of the former steel mill, has been made into piazza. But there was even more to see than that...
One bumpy bike ride along the Industrial Heritage Trail later, the students finally made their way to the city of Dortmund, located in the heart of the Ruhr district. After a strengthening dinner of Schnitzel and Pasta, there was only one stop left on the agenda: a night tour of the Hansa Coking Plant. Although production ceased in 1992, the plant's technical equipment and buildings have remained mostly unchanged since their construction in the 20s, as the students noticed astonishingly. Equipped with flash lights and warm coats, we past by coal towers and engine houses before scrambling up a glass walled conveyor belt to the top of a towering blending bunker that allowed for a wonderful view of the artfully illuminated plant and its surroundings.
The Ruhr Area as the 2010 European Capital of Culture? With its fascinating blend of industrial nature, historic technology, an space for recreation and cultural activities – we have seen why!
