I figured out that I saw so many lovely and stunning places in the world but missed to have a closer look into the area I live all my life. The coal mine called Zeche Zollverein is world heritage and I think it has to be. We booked two tours, each about 2 hours long. We were told about the... More

big and amazing, especially when you want to have some pleasant stay without stress your mind More

A trip to the Zollverein complex is a must for any visitors to Essen. Its three main sections, the two old coal mines and the coking facility allow themselves to be visited thoroughly and intimately and most of it is free. The guided tours of course cost and so does entry to some of the gallery space but the majority... More

The coal mines and installations have been revitalised and turned into museums, shops, workshops, restaurants and bar. Particularly liked the Ruhr Museum showing the development of the region. It heydays as a mining and industrial power house and the aftermath after mines closed down More

Famous Bauhaus architecture, great Museum, very interesting complex More

We toured the complex ourselves (didn't do a guided tour) and found our way around just fine. The swimming pool and ferris wheel were a highlight! We also ate in the restaurant - one of the best meals we have had in Europe! More

the site is a bit out of town but easy to reach with public transport - what's excellent is the opening hours (10 - 20h) and the fact that it's free of charge. . . - the outside part at least. The site is enormous, just exploring the outside sights can easily take about 2h, the museum inside has three... More

Even if you aren't interested in 'coal', this site is a monument to the human engineering required to overcome the obstacles related to extracting and processing the resources that make our world so livable. Fantastic experience! More

Just go there and see what's possible in a post industrial landscape. It's fascinating and if you're lucky as we were, you can take in a concert - Mozart's Requiem in Shaft 12 - and a design exhibition, or a dine or just wander. The site continues to evolve as nature reclaims it from industry, and the old mine-works structures... More