Mine tourism as a factor in the regeneration of an industrial city: the case of the Zollverein mine, Essen (Germany)

Abstract

Many post-industrial regions reinterpret their industrial past as a resource for tourism. In this context, the experience of the Ruhr region in Germany is a classic example. This area has gone from being one of the largest industrial centres in Europe to a virtually completely regenerated area based on the principles of post-industrialism. This makes this area a benchmark for the development of industrial tourism in general and mine tourism in particular. This paper examines the case study of the Zollverein mine, which positions itself as the most beautiful mine in the world. The complex of the mine and the nearby coke plant is used both for direct tourism and marketing purposes and as an instrument of memory and identity politics. Through a personal visit and an expert interview with a representative of the mine, the key areas of its regeneration and the creation of a number of different locations that preserve a universal industrial history aimed at a wide audience were studied. The article analyses the activities that attract the attention of the public and tourists, forming a certain set of narratives about industrial heritage aimed at strengthening the economic position of the region. The industrial regions of Ukraine, most of which continue to develop on the principles of mono-structural production organisation, should look to the Ruhr region as a model for effectively overcoming post-industrial challenges, and the Zollverein mine is an exemplary example of this.