I just got back from the Ruhr Valley in Western Germany, and I’m excited to share my photos! Why was I in the Ruhr? Good question! I was traveling with my core course, Why Cities Matter. We were on our Long Study Tour, where core courses travel around Europe exploring their academic focus in a new environment. I have so much to say about this trip — about cultural exploration, a new urbanist perspective, friends made — but a picture is worth a thousand words.
Day 1
After a 9-hour train ride with a break in Hamburg, we made it to Duisborg! We spent the night exploring Landschaftspark — an old industrial site that’s now public space — and enjoying a steak dinner on DIS.
Day 2
In the morning, we saw Landschaftparken by daylight. Regitze led a walking tour where we learned the industrial history of Duisborg and the Ruhr. We then traveled to a Mies van der Rohe (famous brick expressionist architect) house, but most of our afternoon was spent hanging out in downtown (somewhat dystopic) Duisborg. We also enjoyed the gorgeous architecture and artwork in the Museum Küppersmühle. We ended with a delicious meal at a pizzeria and then climbed to the top of the Landschaftparken to enjoy the view.
Day 3
We left Duisborg for Essen, where we stayed for the rest of the trip. We got to check out the city for a while, and we found a classic example of neoclassicism and a stunning synagogue that survived WW2. After getting to know Essen, we spent the evening in Dortmund. Dortmund reminded me exactly of Grand Rapids, my hometown in Michigan! So weird. We were disturbed to learn how big Christmas trees are made, and had a huge pasta dinner from the most incredible Italian restaurant. 🙂
Day 4
Unforgettable. We rode the Schwebebahn. What’s that? Glad you asked! It’s the world’s oldest floating train (yes, floating). After a lot of time spent admiring it, our class might as well be the official Schwebebahn fan club. We were in Dusseldorf for the afternoon/evening. There was a really interesting mix of the old city and a new, more modern area that’s sprung up to serve the banking-class of the city. Me and a few friends grabbed stunning Indian food for dinner, and followed it up with some matcha ice cream in Little Tokyo.
Day 5
Talk about saving the best for last. We started the day with a visit to an early model of a garden city outside of Essen — there’s a lot to learn from (and criticize about) the garden city movement. We trammed over to Zollverien, an old coal mine. An incredible tour guide explained the history and the future of the mine itself, and the industry-heavy Ruhr. We also spent a couple hours in the coolest museum I’ve ever been in: the Red Dot Design Museum. The grand finale? A soccer match at Shalke Stadium. It was my first game ever! Schalke won its first game after losing 7 matches in a row, so the energy was absolutely electric. It was the perfect end to a perfect Long Study Tour.
