Discover Oberhausen: Industrial Culture, Art and Canal Paths

Oberhausen combines industrial culture, art and green paths to create a destination with an unusually wide range of perspectives. Families can switch between industrial history, exhibitions, walks and active pursuits. When looking for a holiday apartment in Oberhausen, it is therefore worth deciding first what kind of travel pace you want: should the stay focus mainly on museums and historic sites, or should cycling, jogging and excursions into the open air be part of it too?

Industrial history from the blast furnace to the Gasometer

A particularly formative chapter began in 1758, when pig iron flowed for the first time from a blast furnace at the St. Antony ironworks. This event is regarded as the birthplace of the iron and steel industry in the Ruhr region. Today, the St. Antony ironworks is home to an industrial archaeology park with uncovered production facilities. This makes it possible to discover the origins of the region’s industrial history not only through dates, but also by examining tangible facilities.

Further evidence of structural change includes the Eisenheim workers’ settlement, the Gasometer and the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen. The Gasometer was converted into an exceptional exhibition hall in 1993/94 and is now the city’s landmark. At 117.5 metres high, it has been Europe’s tallest exhibition hall since 1994. In fine weather, the viewing platform on the roof offers visitors panoramic views across the Ruhr metropolitan area.

Since 1998, the LVR Industrial Museum has used the listed Peter Behrens Building as a central collection depot. The permanent exhibition “Peter Behrens – Art and Technology” can be visited on the fifth floor. The Eisenheim Museum also presents an exhibition about work, everyday life and life in the settlement. Those who want to combine historical development with social history will therefore find various ways to engage with the city.

Art, short films and historic buildings

In the spacious rooms of the neoclassical palace complex, the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen presents a changing exhibition programme featuring loans from around the world. Another cultural highlight is the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Founded in 1954, it is the world’s oldest short film festival.

Older architectural history is also part of the cityscape. Vondern Castle was first mentioned in written records in 1266 and is one of Oberhausen’s oldest surviving buildings. At Sterkrade Colliery, the headframe commemorates the former mine; guided tours visit the shaft hall with its red headframe. The former digestion tower of the Läppkes Mühlenbach sewage treatment plant now serves as a viewing platform, demonstrating how former technical facilities can be given new functions.

A striking example of contemporary art in public spaces is “Slinky Springs to Fame”. The walkable bridge artwork by Frankfurt artist Tobias Rehberger spans the Rhine-Herne Canal from Kaisergarten to Emscher Island. Its unusual form makes it an attraction in its own right, combining architecture, art and movement.

Waterside paths and green leisure destinations

The Rhine-Herne Canal, which is more than 100 years old, runs from east to west through the middle of Oberhausen and is ideal for cycling, hiking and jogging. The Ruhr Valley Cycle Route also passes through Oberhausen. For travel planning, this means you can combine cultural sightseeing with an active stage without limiting your stay to a single theme.

Kaisergarten offers expansive woodland and meadow areas for walking, jogging and cycling. Leisure facilities include a miniature golf course and an archery range. The animal enclosure specialises in native domestic breeds and European wildlife. Revierpark Vonderort has a four-kilometre circular trail for walking or jogging, as well as a miniature golf course. In summer, concerts are regularly held there in front of the multi-purpose pavilion by the lake in the southern part of the park.

For families with different interests, this selection allows for a variety of daily rhythms: one day can be devoted to industrial history and art, another to the canal, the woodland and meadow areas or a circular trail. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider which experiences should be the focus. A holiday apartment or holiday house in Oberhausen can thus be selected as a base for an individually planned city break combining culture and activity, without presupposing any particular accommodation features.

More destinations for planning your trip

For additional guidance, you can also consult the pages on Remscheid, Gelsenkirchen, Duisburg, Bochum, Mülheim An Der Ruhr, Essen, Bottrop and Wuppertal.

To the main travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.