Oberhausen: Romance of Industrialization

Unlike most of its neighbors in the Ruhr area, Oberhausen is a relatively young city. In 1847, a railway station was built not far from the newly erected Oberhausen Castle. In 1862, the parish of Oberhausen was formed, which became a town in 1874. The city got its modern borders in 1929, after the merger of three independent municipalities- Sterkrade, Osterfeld and Oberhausen.

The well-being of the city, as well as of the entire Ruhr region, for a long time depended on coal mining. However, since the beginning of the 1960s, the demand for coal in the global energy sector began to decline, and the cities of the region underwent major restructuring. Oberhausen did not escape this fate, either. Part of the large enterprises in the city has been preserved as monuments of industrial architecture, but most of them have been torn down. Parks, entertainment and shopping centers appeared at the place of former factories and mines. The largest of the centres is called CentrO and is considered one of the main attractions of Oberhausen. There are over 200 stores on an area of about 70 thousand s/m! Every year it attracts more than 23 million visitors from all over Germany and from abroad.

Oberhausen’s new center was formed around CentrO and is called Neue Mitte. Life is in full swing in it. In the immediate vicinity of the shopping center is König Pilsener Arena -an entertainment center that can accommodate up to 12,500 spectators. Over 20 years of its existence it has hosted stars like Metallica, AC / DC, Depeche Mode, Lionel Richie, Lenny Kravitz, Pink, David Copperfield, and Elton John. Located within a walking distance of Kaiser Park (Kaisergarten), surrounding Oberhausen Castle, it offers a variety of opportunities for relaxation of adults and children. Metronom Musical Theater that is also popular among residents and tourists is also in the Neue Mitte.

Oberhausen is full of many excellent restaurants and cafes. However, today it is not so easy to find places serving traditional cuisine of the Ruhr area. The easiest way is to buy and eat a popular fast food - Currywurst right outside: it is a sausage with a sauce of tomato paste and curry powder. Although a little ennobled variations of this dish can be found in restaurants. In the menu of one of them, for example, it is listed under the name Ruhrpott-Teller. Mashed potatoes with salad (Ärpel with Schlaat) are another recipe typical for the Ruhr area. It is often served with fried blood sausage. In winter it is recommended to try the dense and strongly peppered meat soup (Pfefferpotthast). The soup called Schnibbelbohnensuppe has green beans as its basis. Turnip tops are a common dish of "cheap and cheerful" category: they are boiled and served with a thick meat or cream sauce (Stielmus).

The International Short Film Festival has been held in Oberhausen since 1959. Participation in it gave impetus to the career of such masters-film directors as Roman Polanski, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese.

Oberhausen is constantly evolving and improving. Today, almost nothing reminds here anymore of the industrial city with stale air and the dismal factory chimneys. On the contrary, there are so many parks and other resting places here that you will be simply amazed. You should visit OLGA Park with a playground for children and a swimming pool, take trip on yachts in the bay near CentrO shopping center, and go to the Sea Life aquarium, where Paul octopus oracle lived. And you will definitely feel the uniqueness of this modern city.