Recklinghausen-South industrial landscape
In 1869, a Belgian mining company sank the first shaft within the city limits of Recklinghausen. This marked the beginning of the coal mining era in Recklinghausen. Similar to other cities in the region, this led to immense growth. Between 1869 and 1930, the population increased tenfold, transforming a small town into an industrial center. The southern districts of Recklinghausen, in particular, underwent a complete transformation as a result of industrialization. The last coal mine in Recklinghausen closed in 1974, and on December 18, 2015, with the closure of the Auguste-Victoria mine, mining in the Recklinghausen district came to an end.
In the intervening hundred years, mining and industry have profoundly reshaped the landscape. So profoundly, in fact, that their legacy has, in some cases, permanently altered the Ruhr region's landscape. This is evidenced not only by spoil heaps, industrial buildings, canals, railway lines, and high-voltage power lines.
The Recklinghausen substation, built in 1928, also stands amidst such a landscape, completely transformed by industrialization. Exploring this landscape on site is the aim of this guided tour. It begins at the substation in the "Time Travel Electricity" museum and leads to the Emscher River, the Recklinghausen city harbor, and the nearby Emscher wastewater treatment plant in the city of Herne, before returning to the museum.
The tour can be booked during the regular opening hours of Zeitreise Strom (Mon-Sat 10am-17pm, Sun 10am-18pm).
It is aimed at groups of 10 to 25 people.
Duration: about 1,5 hours
Cost: €8,00 per person
Start: Entrance to the time travel portal "Strom"
The guided tour can be booked via the Zeitreise Strom website: Electricity journey through time – The German Electricity Museum