ZollvereinSteig
Hiking the ZollvereinSteig offers exciting contrasts. Here, lush green parks meet unique industrial heritage, and lovingly tended allotment gardens meet impressive slag heap art. The trail is named after—of course—the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only World Heritage Site in the Ruhr region. The route also starts there, crossing the north of Essen and passing the Rhine-Herne Canal. Nowhere else in the city can you discover the successful structural transformation of this once industrial region so vividly and, above all, so close to nature. The highlights—and that is meant quite literally—are the slag heaps, which you can explore on foot. From these striking landmarks, created by piling up mining spoil, hikers can let their gaze wander and their minds unwind.
Route to take with you
Route
Route information
1. Zollverein Coal Mine
The former “most beautiful coal mine in the world” is now a fascinating World Heritage Site, brimming with art, culture, design and history. You can find an overview map of the site at the bottom left.
2. Zollverein Coking Plant
Coal used to be refined into coke here. The imposing chimneys and miles of pipes have stories to tell.
3. Kunstschacht and PACT Zollverein
Artist Thomas Rother has made his mark in the former machine house at Shaft 1/2/8. The choreographic centre PACT Zollverein is located in the washhouse right next door.
4. Kaiser Wilhelm Park
The park was created to mark the 100th birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm I, providing hard-working miners with a green oasis nearby. Today, music fans are especially drawn to the memorial for Chester Bennington, the Linkin Park singer who died in 2018.
5. Stauder Brewery
When it comes to beer, there’s no question in Essen: Stauder is what’s served. The Stauder family has been brewing its Pilsner in Altenessen for more than 150 years and across six generations.
6. Zeche Carl
Zeche Carl has stood for sociocultural activities at their best for 40 years. Concerts, comedy shows and poetry slams are regularly held here, as are participatory projects for local residents.
7. Nordfriedhof Altenessen
This 22-hectare cemetery is home to a burial ground for 45 miners who lost their lives in a firedamp explosion at Zeche Fritz in 1942. An impressive memorial stands in front of it.
8. Schurenbach spoil tip
At 50 metres, the city’s highest spoil tip offers impressive 360-degree panoramic views. Mountain bikers will find excellent training conditions on a dedicated track. Please show respect for one another. The landmark is the “Bramme” by sculptor Richard Serra.
9. Rhine-Herne Canal
Once the lifeline of heavy industry, today it’s a haven for recreation. Although numerous inland vessels still pass through the canal, it is increasingly becoming a leisure paradise.
10. Halde Eickwinkel
At around 21 metres, it is lower than Schurenbach spoil tip, but Halde Eickwinkel also rewards visitors with fascinating long-distance views.
11. Halde Zollverein
As its name suggests, this 37-hectare spoil tip was created from waste rock dumped from Zeche Zollverein.
12. Revierpark Nienhausen
Whether you want to go for a walk, exercise, play or swim, you can do it all at Revierpark Nienhausen. You can also park your motorhome here.
13. Rotthauser Friedhof
The cemetery in Gelsenkirchen opened in 1893. Its three burial grounds and memorials to miners who lost their lives in mining accidents at Zeche Dahlbusch are particularly impressive.
14. Friedhof Am Hallo
Visitors to this spacious cemetery, set on a natural elevation, can enjoy beautiful panoramic views across northern Essen. It is part of the “Essener Aussichten” project.
- Casino Zollverein
- Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen
www.casino-zollverein.de - The Mine
- Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen
www.the-mine.eu - Bistro Schacht XII
- Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen
www.bistro-schacht12.de - Café Kohlenwäsche
- Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen
www.zollverein.de - die kokerei cafe & restaurant
- Kokereiallee 71 Gebäude C70, 45141 Essen
www.die-kokerei.de - hotel friends Essen
- Martin-Kremmer-Strasse 1, 45327 Essen
www.hotelfriends.de/essen - Mezzo Mezzo am Zollverein
- Gelsenkirchener Straße 187, 45309 Essen
www.mezzomezzo.de - Parkrestaurant Spindelmann
- Palmbuschweg 57, 45326 Essen
www.parkrestaurant-spindelmann.de - malakow
- Wilhelm-Nieswandt-Allee 100, 45326 Essen
www.zechecarl.de - Waldhaus am See
- Nienhausenstr. 43, 45883 Gelsenkirchen
www.waldhaus-gelsenkirchen.de - Restaurant Medaillon
- Matthias-Erzberger-Str. 82, 45309 Essen
www.restaurant-medaillon.de
A detour along the ZollvereinSteig
There’s no question that the ZollvereinSteig offers so much to explore on foot that it’s enough to fill at least a day and a full memory card. But it’s definitely worth taking a detour with us. The route starts at the Rhine-Herne Canal. For a long time, it was the busiest inland waterway canal in Europe. Today, professional skippers share the water with hobby boaters, anglers and teenagers looking to cool off. Continue to the Mathias-Stinnes settlement. Until 1972, the Stinnes mine set the pace here, as the houses were built especially for the underground workers. Today, the small, tree-lined streets with their red, rustic brick houses are especially popular with young families. The winding wheel you pass on Karnaper Straße is another reminder of the mine’s active days. From there, it’s a short walk to Karnap’s green lung, Emscher Park. Continue on and you’ll reach the “Carbon Obelisk” by artist Rita McBride. The material of the artwork refers to the area’s coal-mining past, as the carbon used is made from coal fibres. Before crossing the canal bridge back to the ZollvereinSteig, head out onto the island once more. More specifically, onto Emscher Island, a 34-kilometre-long strip of landscape between Castrop-Rauxel and Oberhausen, bordered by the Rhine-Herne Canal and the Emscher. The best way to explore the island is on the “Island Tour”, a signposted walking and cycling route that leads to fascinating places, some of which are still undiscovered.
Duration: approx. 1 hour
Photo gallery
Getting around the trail
- Public transport from Essen Central Station
- Tram/subway lines:
Line 107, “Zollverein” or “Triple Z” stop
Line U11, “Altenessen-Mitte”, “Heßlerstraße” or “Arenbergstraße” stop
More information at: www.ruhrbahn.de - Weisse Flotte Baldeney
- From early June to early October, the Weiße Flotte Baldeney runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays along the Rhine-Herne Canal between “Oberhausen-Kaisergarten” and “Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck”. The “Essen-Zweigertbrücke” stop is on the trail.
Timetable at: www.baldeneysee.com
Fancy a trip to Essen?
Contact
EMG - Essen Marketing GmbH
Tourist-Information Essen
Kettwiger Str. 35
45127 Essen