Project promoter
Two strong partners for industrial culture
The Route of Industrial Culture (RIK) links the most important and touristically attractive industrial monuments in the
of the Ruhr region on a circular route of about 400 kilometers. The Route of Industrial Culture is thus probably
the world's most extensive tourist network for developing the industrial heritage of a coherent
of a coherent region. Over seven million people visit the sites of the
Route of Industrial Heritage. The project sponsor is the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR). The core network of the signposted
RIK road network includes 27 anchor points, which are both places of experience and information hubs.
information. In addition, 17 panoramic views of the industrial landscape and 13 important settlements
are among the primary sites of the route. The separate route network "Route of Industrial Culture by Bike" comprises
about 1,200 km of cycle paths, mainly on former railroad lines, along canals
as well as on forest and farm tracks and roads with little traffic.
Many anchor points are located directly or immediately along the cycle route.
The route's central visitor center, the "Ruhr Visitor Center," is located on the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein site in Essen.
It offers extensive information opportunities with the "Portal of Industrial Culture".
The Route of Industrial Heritage in the Ruhr region is registered at European level as a "Regional Route" with "ERIH",
the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
The ANCHOR POINTS
A total of 27 anchor points on the Industrial Culture Route are important witnesses of the Ruhr region's industrial past
and at the same time symbols of the transformation of an entire region. In their diversity and range they tell
of the various epochs and facets of industrial and cultural development.
The former "cathedrals of labor" are now anchor points with a diverse range of museums, events and cultural offerings.
THE PANORAMES
The 17 panoramas on the Route of Industrial Heritage are now leisure landscapes and recreational areas with breathtaking views.
with breathtaking views. The mining slagheaps, which today serve as vantage points, are characteristic of the Ruhr region.
of the industrial landscape of the Ruhr region. And from above it becomes even clearer
how green the radrevier.ruhr is! Some of these panoramas have been designed by renowned artists as impressive landmarks.
designed by renowned artists. But monuments and buildings can also be found on the list of panorama points.
THE SILLS
Where there is work, there is also life and living. For the sudden increase in the number of workers and their families
and their families, the large heavy industry companies created housing in settlements. For the Route of Industrial Culture
13 particularly beautiful and worth seeing workers' settlements were selected,
in which "life in the colony" can still be well recreated.
WasserEisenLand - Industrial Culture in South Westphalia
WasserEisenLand e.V. is an association of different actors of industrial culture in South Westphalia:
Operators of industrial museums and technical cultural monuments such as municipalities and associations,
but also chambers of industry and commerce, companies and private individuals.
The mission of "WasserEisenland - Industrial Culture in South Westphalia" is to promote the regional industrial culture
with its unique technical monuments,
protect it and make it accessible to tourists.
In concrete terms, the association advises on the identification of ideas and the creation of museum concepts, supports museum educational work
and helps to improve the tourist infrastructure around the technical monuments. In addition
WasserEisenLand e.V. supports public relations and communication through consulting, campaigns and
and advertising measures or by integration into regional and supra-regional networks.
Another task is to maintain national and international contact with other projects with similar objectives,
such as the Route of Industrial Heritage in the Ruhr Area or the ERIH, the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
With the festival association "FERROMONE - Industry and Culture in South Westphalia", the network makes places of experience
of industrial culture in a new form: historic ironworks, factories and museums become the stage
become the stage for concerts, theater performances, light, sound and film presentations
- places of living industrial culture.
As the umbrella brand for the industrial monuments and museums in South Westphalia, WasserEisenLand gives the region a face and makes an important contribution.
and makes an important contribution to the identity and image of South Westphalia.
In this way, "WasserEisenland - Industrial Culture in South Westphalia" helps to preserve a piece of living industrial history for future generations.
for future generations.