Welcome To the e-travelguide to Hotels, guest houses and attractions in Gelsenkirchen

Make the most of your time in Gelsenkirchen, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links above to plan your visit.

In Gelsenkirchen you will find not a slick façade, but the real Germany, alive with the culture, tradition and beauty of the Ruhr Valley. While it may not be the most famous of German cities, it has much to offer the intrepid tourist, combining the beauty of the Ruhr Valley with a charm all of its own.

One of the most common reasons to visit Gelsenkirchen is its history. In the early 20th century Gelsenkirchen was the most important coal mining area in Europe and was referred to as the ‘City of a thousand fires’ due to the number of mine gasses flaming throughout the night. During the Nazi-ear Gelsenkirchen was one of the Third Reich’s most important centres for coal production and oil refinement. As a result, Gelsenkirchen was heavily bombed during World War II, destroying three-quarters of the old city. The legacy of this period can be seen to this day, with many old above-ground air-raid shelters scattered across the city. Many of Gelsenkirchen’s official buildings have also maintained their air-rad shelters in more or less their original form. Today there are no collieries in Gelsenkirchen. Instead, the city is a centre for services, sciences and production, with good infrastructure.

Perhaps the one thing that Gelsenkirchen is most famous for is football. Despite its relatively small population of 270,000 people, Gelsenkirchen is home to the footballing phenomenon that is FC Scalke 04. One of the oldest clubs in Germany, the club dominated German football during the 1930s and 1940s. FC Schalke 04 has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years and is now a regular competitor in the UEFA Champions League. In 1987 Pope John Paul II became an honorary member of the club when he celebrated mass for 85,000 people at the club’s Park Stadium. FC Schalke’s new stadium, the Veltins Arena, is regarded as one of the most innovative in Europe, with a retractable pitch, closable roof, movable South Stand and videocube. The stadium is open to visitors and is a must-see for visitors to Gelsenkirchen.

The best way to explore everything that Gelsenkirchen has to offer is undoubtedly by taking one of the various hiking and cycling trails. Tracing the links between industry and culture, nature and architecture, they help to find the real Gelsenkirchen. And with a population considered among the most friendly in Germany, Gelsenkirchen is a great place to explore.

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