Ruhr Metropolis 2012

it's a time of short trips - last week the Book Fair Frankfurt, and this week i will be going to the Ruhr Region for a big comic & games fair, leaving today and back on saturday. looking forward. i visited the region in 2010 for the first time, some impressions below. this time, in addition to the fair, i hope to get the chance to see 2 monuments of the region: the "Gasometer" and the "Zeche Zollverein", which is an Unesco World heritage. here's an idea of it:

 

more on their page: Zollverein

i will do a bit of blogging from the road, catching moments and noting them right on the spot.

below, some notes and impressions from the trip in 2010. -- and the book fair in Frankfurt - if you havn't seen them, here are the 2 longer blog posts about it: the book fair photos + a roundup with reflections on books, time, prizes 

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Ruhr Metropolis 2010 

The Ruhr Region ("Ruhrgebiet") tradionally was an area of mining and heavy industry. But in the last decades, more and more coal mines were closed as the demand for coal decreased, and the whole region now goes through phases of structural crisis. In 2010 the Ruhr became "European Capital of Culture"

here's a bit more about that region: "With 4435 km² and a population of some 7.3 million, it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany, and the fourth largest urban area in Europe after Moscow, London and Paris. It consists of several large, formerly industrial cities. Industrialization began in the region with the establishment of several iron works in the late 18th century. By 1850, almost 300 coal mines were in operation in the region."

this villa is called "Villa Hügel", it belongs to the Krupp family.
(think Denver and Dallas, only that it’s not oil, but coal).



Essen street horizon

The remains of this green coal mining tower stand next to a highway:
"Förderturm Grube Günter".