[Abandoned Industrial Complex]⑨ Reviving Contaminated Industrial Sites Attracts Millions of Tourists Annually

Contaminated German Steel Industrial Complex Transformed into Cultural Park
From Cooling Water Ice Rink to Coke Plant Swimming Pool
Unique Experience Programs Attract 1.7 Million Visitors Annually

From Duisburg Park to Autostadt
Cultural Revitalization of Industrial Complex Brings Significant Tourism Benefits

"My hometown has completely changed. Honestly, I still can't quite adapt. Haha."

The ice rink in the Zollverein Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany. It used to be a path where cooling water from the coal processing flowed, but now it has been transformed into a leisure facility used by local residents and tourists. Photo by Zollverein Foundation.

On the 15th of last month, Hans-J?rgen Chilke (69), whom I met at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany, spoke with a nostalgic expression while standing on the rooftop of the factory where he once worked. Below the rooftop, trees and parks had been planted between the old factories. If it weren't for the remaining chimneys here and there, one might mistake the site for a national park rather than an industrial complex. Chilke gazed for a long time at the horizon where the blue sky met the earth and quietly said, "I never thought it would change so beautifully."

On the 15th of last month, Hans-J?rgen Chilke (69) was seen talking with our reporter at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany. He was a coal miner working here during his childhood. Currently, the Zollverein Coal Mine has been transformed into a park featuring green spaces and cultural programs. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

The Zollverein Industrial Complex is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and one of Europe's representative tourist attractions, drawing 1.7 million visitors annually. It is the first case of transforming an aging industrial complex into a cultural tourism site, hosting hundreds of cultural events and tour programs each year.

Cooling Water Channels Turned Ice Rinks, Factory Sites Transformed into Swimming Pools

On the 15th of last month, I visited the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany. Green spaces were created and cultural programs were developed on the industrial complex site, which had long been closed due to environmental pollution and industrial decline. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

However, when Chilke was born, the Zollverein Industrial Complex was known as the largest mining hub in Germany and Europe. Chilke's father was a coal miner who worked for 31 years at the Essen Zollverein site. Chilke himself worked as a coal miner in the mines for 10 years starting at age 15. At that time, the air quality in the area was terrible. Chilke recalled, "I never saw a blue sky as a child; the sky was ochre-colored because of sulfur. Our house was right in front of the factory, and the smoke was so bad that my mother always wore a handkerchief over her face." This is why he could never have imagined the industrial complex as a place where people now enjoy themselves.

The Zollverein Industrial Complex, covering about 100 hectares, opened in 1847. The coal production, known as "black gold," averaged 20,000 tons per day, the highest in the world. It was also the mine where 8,000 Korean miners worked in the 1970s. However, in the 1980s, environmental pollution issues arose, and coal demand declined, leading to the complex's decline. Ultimately, it closed on December 23, 1986, after the last coal extraction. Ninety-six buildings, 200 processing facilities, 2.7 km of conveyor belts, and 13.2 km of pipes were left abandoned. As local residents moved away, it literally became an "abandoned industrial complex."

Discussions on how to handle the Zollverein site only began in 1989. The state government launched the "International Building Exhibition Emscher Park" project to redevelop the industrial facilities over ten years. Initially, local politicians favored demolishing or selling the complex, citing the cost of environmental improvements and the unsightly rusted steel. However, local residents strongly opposed demolition. When a study showed that preservation was cheaper than demolition, the state government ultimately decided to maintain and preserve the site.

Zollverein Swimming Pool in Essen, Germany. Utilizing leftover space from the coking plant, it was transformed into a leisure facility for local residents and tourists. Photo by Zollverein Foundation.

The preserved industrial complex was transformed into a mixed-use cultural complex. The massive 1 km water channel that once carried cooling water was converted into an ice rink in winter, and the leftover space in front of the coke plant was turned into a swimming pool in summer. The huge winding tower that lifted coal from the mines became a landmark of Zollverein. World-renowned architects were invited for remodeling. Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas converted the coal washing plant into the "Ruhr Museum," preserving 80% of the factory structures and machinery to maintain the vivid site. British architect Norman Foster transformed the boiler facility with its massive chimney into the "Red Dot Design Museum."

Various events such as classical concerts and curling tournaments are still held at the Zollverein site. The foundation managing the complex plans to offer more cultural events for tourists. Annika Engelhardt, the public relations officer of the Zollverein Foundation, explained, "Starting next March, tours will begin where visitors can descend directly into the old coal mine tunnels."

Over 250 Cultural Events Annually at the Industrial Complex, Significant Tourist Impact

On the 15th of last month, I visited the State Park in Duisburg, Germany. Green spaces were created in an abandoned steel industrial complex, and cultural programs were developed, attracting over one million tourists annually. Trees are planted among the old steel factories. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

Since then, Germany has undertaken large-scale projects to create cultural spaces in aging industrial complexes. The Duisburg State Park is a representative example. The Duisburg industrial complex was the headquarters of Germany's largest steel company, Thyssen, and was the center of the global steel industry until the mid-20th century. However, it lost competitiveness and closed in 1985. Discussions on reconstruction centered around the local community, and in 1991, landscape expert Professor Peter Latz initiated its transformation into a cultural park. By 2008, a budget of 2.5 billion euros (about 3.75 trillion won) was invested in over 120 projects.

The park I toured was a unique blend of massive steel structures and lush forests. The steel structures were left unpainted to reveal their original rusted appearance. Most of the old buildings were not just for exhibition but were used as observation decks that visitors could climb. It was even possible to explore stairways and pipes connecting the steel plants like a maze.

Because of these unique experiences, tourists flock from all over Europe. Currently, over one million visitors come here annually. Among them was Karolina Huseinovayan (14), whom I met while climbing the steel plant stairs. She came with her parents from Poland and said, "We have similar factories, but we thought it was amazing that they turned this into a park, so we came with our family."

On the 15th of last month, I visited the State Park in Duisburg, Germany. Green spaces were created in an abandoned steel industrial complex, and cultural programs were developed, attracting over one million tourists annually. Trees are planted among the old steel factories. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

Currently, more than 250 diverse nature and cultural events are held at this aging industrial complex. Within the 180-hectare site, forests have been cultivated to create hiking and trekking courses. There are diving platforms using blast furnaces and rock climbing facilities on factory walls. During the day, treasure hunt games for children take place, and at night, unique torchlight tours around the factories are offered. Annual events such as the "Summer Market" and "Lighting Market" are held to promote coexistence with local merchants.

Duisburg State Park in Germany is a place where green spaces have been created and cultural programs established on an abandoned steel industrial complex, attracting over one million tourists annually. The photo shows a nighttime torch tour held at the state park. Photo by Duisburg State Park.

Local residents are also highly satisfied. Kim Kuhn, whom I met at Duisburg Park, often visits with his wife and two children. He said, "Fun events are held frequently, and the torchlight tour is especially enjoyable. It's great to have a space near home where children can run around freely." Manfred Eisenhut also mentioned, "There are pleasant walking paths, so my parents who live nearby visit often. It has become even more famous recently as a filming location for The Hunger Games."

Wolfsburg is known for "Autostadt." Volkswagen transformed its headquarters and delivery center site into a theme park tourist attraction. Covering 250,000 square meters, it opened in June 2000 with an investment of 430 million euros (about 645 billion won). Since becoming an automotive cultural space, Autostadt's average annual visitors have reached about 2 million, with a total cumulative visitor count surpassing 36 million.

Editor's NoteThere is abandoned land in Korea. It covers 24.49 million square meters, which is 5.44 times the size of Yeouido. Nothing is done on this land. It is simply left unattended. This is the story of "industrial complexes." Industrial complexes have been the driving force behind Korea's rapid economic growth since the development of the Ulsan Industrial Complex in the 1960s. However, due to their haphazard construction, they now suffer from chronic unsold properties. While focusing only on building new complexes, existing ones face serious aging problems. Asia Economy examines the current status of domestic industrial complexes through the "Abandoned Industrial Complex" series and explores development directions for Korean industrial complexes through overseas cases.

This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.