Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site

My visit to the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex was an absolutely magnificent experience. It is truly awe-inspiring to see how this former industrial behemoth has been masterfully repurposed into a vibrant cultural landscape, housing museums, exhibition centers, a university, and more. The vision required to preserve such a monumental piece of history while breathing new life into it is simply remarkable. ​The sprawling 100-hectare site has been ingeniously transformed into a verdant park, with fantastic cycling and walking paths weaving through the imposing structures. This unique blend of industrial heritage and natural beauty means you can have a wonderful visit just enjoying the park, even if history isn't your main interest. ​Zollverein truly offers a full day of exploration and enjoyment for the entire family. With delightful cafes, excellent restaurants, and even a casino on the grounds, it's impossible to feel a moment of boredom. ​I was unfortunately pressed for time and could only spend three hours there, which was barely enough to scratch the surface. I am already planning my next trip to fully immerse myself in everything this incredible place has to offer. ​A Special Tip: To truly grasp the immense scale of the complex, I wholeheartedly recommend exploring it by bike or taking one of the guided cart tours. It's an experience that is absolutely worth it!

It is a great and nice outdoor (important!) museum showing how the coal mine worked. We had a guided tour around who spoke good English and had worked in the mines. It was very interesting, the life was hard and difficult. The museum also showed how they lived, had their daily life etc. Important, it looks like an inside museum, but it is actually a building structure without heat or cooling. We went there when it was about zero degrees and the 1-1.5h tour was freezing and the whole group (almost) turned to ice 🫣🤣 In the summer we found out is the opposite and it will be extremely warm instead so —> dress accordingly!!! There are also multiple car chargers in the parking which is a great service!

A beautiful place. A huge mine listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The area around the mine is vast and green, and there's even a small playground for children. There's ample parking for cars. There's a small café on the grounds where you can enjoy a coffee or snack while waiting to enter the mine. Prices are reasonable. I recommend visiting this architectural wonder.

Surprisingly wonderful repurposing of an industrial site as a cultural centre. The juxtaposition of the buildings and metalwork with reclaiming nature is striking, and we could have easily have spent hours more wandering around than we had the time for during our visit. Easy to dismiss at a glance on the internt but remarkably affecting in person. Very glad we stopped to see it.

The Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site is truly a unique place to visit. It is calm, clean, and beautifully maintained, offering wide open spaces perfect for walking or jogging. The mix of industrial history and modern culture makes it both inspiring and relaxing. Whether you want to enjoy peaceful strolls, explore its fascinating architecture, or simply unwind in a serene atmosphere, Zollverein is a must-see destination that combines heritage with tranquility.

Parking is free, and information offices offer maps of this former industrial area, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The map shows the locations of the various exhibitions and indicates a circular route that takes about an hour and a half to walk at a slow pace. On Sundays when I was there, tourist trains run in the site and there are also guided tours. The ticket offices display the prices of the different tickets. I paid €10 for the Ruhr Museum and the Portal der Industriekultur, which has a panoramic terrace. This coal mine, began operating in 1932. Together with the processing plant, it occupied an area of about 100 hectares. It closed in 1986 and began its transformation into a cultural center in 1990.

This made for a fascinating few hours. It's all quiet now but you can imagine the noise, heat and dust when it was operating. It has been very skilfully transformed into a coal museum and there is a large area to wander around by the coking plant.

So pleasantly surprised by this place, it is insta worth it on its own but don’t miss out on the Ruhr museum, worth getting the full ticket to see the special exhibits. Humongous place to see not only the story is the mines but the area, its people and work. Could easily spend there several hours and still not see everything. Pair with Red Dot design museum in the same complex!