museum
Zollverein Coal Mine
A Bauhaus-styled colliery and UNESCO icon of the Ruhr, now a striking park of red walkways, museums and a winter ice rink.
7 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeGermanyNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Wattenscheid
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany · Europe
About Wattenscheid
Wattenscheid is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Gelsenkirchen, 7km from Zollverein Coal Mine.
Wattenscheid is in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with about 74,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Gelsenkirchen, about 4 km away.
Wattenscheid (German pronunciation: [ˈvatn̩ˌʃaɪ̯t] ) is a Stadtbezirk (urban district) of the German city of Bochum, in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. Until its incorporation into Bochum in 1975, Wattenscheid was an independent town with a long history dating back to its first recorded mention in 880. In theRead more
Middle Ages, it was a member of the Hanseatic League and later became known as a coal mining center during the industrialization of the Ruhr region. The last local coal mine closed in 1973.
As of 2025, Wattenscheid has about 74,000 inhabitants. It consists of residential areas and historic churches, including St. Gertrud von Brabant. The district also has a strong sporting tradition, serving as the base for the football club SG Wattenscheid 09, the athletics club TV Wattenscheid 01, and the chess club SV Wattenscheid.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wattenscheid?
Within an hour or so of Wattenscheid: Zollverein Coal Mine (7 km), Wuppertal Schwebebahn (25 km), Classic Remise Düsseldorf (39 km).
Where is Wattenscheid?
Wattenscheid is in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, about 4 km from Gelsenkirchen.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 73,965
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Germany
- Region
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Timezone
- Europe/Berlin
- Coordinates
- 51.4806, 7.1425
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Germany
ADAC roadside assistance: +49 89 22 22 22. No general speed limit on some autobahn sections but advisory 130 km/h.
Full driving guide for GermanyTags
Worth the detour from Wattenscheid
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Wuppertal Schwebebahn
The world's oldest electric suspension railway glides above the Wupper River, a 1901 engineering marvel still in daily use.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Classic Remise Düsseldorf
A magnificent classic car centre in a restored locomotive roundhouse filled with rare vehicles, workshops, and automotive lifestyle shops.
39 km · about 45 min drive
Driving in Germany
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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