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Europe : Central Europe : Germany : North Rhine-Westphalia : Bochum

Bochum

Bochum [1] is a city of the state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

Understand

Bochum is part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet), the center of heavy industry in Germany. It's history is linked closely to the one of the region. In 1850 Bochum was a small town of about 4.500 Inhabitants, it's population increased till 1900 to 100 000 inhabitants and till 1935 to 300 000 inhabitants. During World War II it's citycenter was nearly completely destroyed which provided the opportunity to rebuild the city after the war in a metropolitan way with wide streets and modern buildings. With the end of the coal boom in the 60s a structural transformation began. Bochum got the first University of the Ruhr Area which was opened in 1965. Today it is one of the largest Universities of the country with about 35000 students and excellent reputation. Also in the 60 the Opel car production plant became productive which offered jobs for those miners who had lost their job in mining. Mining and steel production came to an end in the 80s.

Today Bochum is a modern city with a job focus in service sector.

Bochum is situated at the borderline between the flat Münsterland in the north and the highlands of Bergisches Land in the south. Therefore the northern part of Bochum is quite flat, the highest hill is the Tippelsberg. According to a legend a long time ago the giant Tipulus settled down there and when he removed the soil from his boots the Tippelsberg formed. A visit of Tippelsberg is highly recommended, the view from top onto the middle part of the Ruhr Area is excellent. Information boards advise of the landmarks arround. The southern limits of Bochum touch the Ruhr valley with lake Kemnade.

In the 19th century industrialization began in the valley of Ruhr and moved in the following years northwards. Left was an environment in nearly good order. The valley of Ruhr is a recreation area for the population. The Ruhr is water reservoir for the region, therefore the rules for keeping the water clean are quite restrict. Swimming is forbidden in lake Kemnade, swimming in river Ruhr is permitted but not recommended because of strong flow. Pleasure boats are allowed everywhere.

Like most cities in the Ruhr Area the southern quarters are of high standard and are quite expansive while factories will be found mainly in the northern quarters.

Get in

By plane

By train

By car

By bus

By boat

Get around

Public Transport is arranged by "Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahn AG", for short BOGESTRA. It is member of the transport assosiation Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr VRR, which cares for consistence fares and adequate connections between its members and S-Bahn and regional trains. So with the same ticket you may use bus, underground, tram, S-Bahn and regional Express not only within Bochum but within the Ruhr Area, depending on the price category (A, B, C or D) you have selected. For details refer VRR.

Tickets can be optained at the sales offices of VRR (located most times at main station), ticket machines at stations, at subway- and tram-stops and from bus drivers. Do not forget to stamp you ticket before you enter a vehicle. The orange stamp-boxes are located at the entrance of the platforms.

Tariff, Tickets, Information

There are 4 price levels: For travelling within one city you need level A, for a ride to the next neighbour city pricing level B is needed, if you transit 3 Tickets use level C and level D is for rides to any location within the area of VRR.

You can obtain tickets from the customer offices of Bogestra, from the ticket-machines at the subway stations U35, from ticket machines within the trams, from Busdrivers and from designated kiosks.

Customer Offices

One office is located in the subway station at main station and another one you will find in the Bogestra Administration Building at Universitätsstrasse 58

City Railway, the former tram

  • Line U35 leads from Bochum-Querenburg via Ruhr University, Bochum Main Station, Bochum-Riemke, Herne Station to Herne Strünkede.

The former trams run within Bochum city also underground. Intersection for all lines is Bochum Main Station.

  • Linie 302 leads from Bochum Main Station via Cityhall-South and Wattenscheid to Gelsenkirchen Main Station.
  • Linie 306 leads from Bochum Main Station to Wanne-Eickel Station (=Herne Main Station).
  • Linie 308 leads from Bo-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Hattingen center.
  • Linie 310 leads from Witten via Bochum Main Station and Cityhall-South to Wattenscheidt-Höntrop.
  • Linie 318 leads from Bo-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Bo-Dahlhausen.

VRR Night-Express

Under the synonym "Night-Express" go additional busses, trams and trains at weekend and on holidays one per hour to the suburbs.

Regional Transport

Regional Trains may be used with tickets of VRR within the VRR-area. For a catelogue of regional trains refer item 'Train' above.

Tip: A ride with RB46 offers views onto 'the old Ruhr', a view onto industry and suburbs that look like 50 years before.

Taxi

Going by Taxi is quite expansive. Basic charge is 2,30 € and charge per kilometer is 1,25 € at daytime and 1,35 € at nighttime.

See

There are some flyrs explaining the highlights of Bochum published by the marketing office. They are named "Blaue Linie" (blue line)and are available at tourist office at Huestrasse 9 or in the web. Also a monthly calendar of events is available there. And refer also the guide Route der Industriekultur (Industrial Heritage Trail) which can be downloaded as pdf-file.

Museums

  • The German Mining Museum is are of the leading of its kind worldwide. Whatever you want to now about mining, here you can experience it. Address: Am Bergbaumuseum 28
  • Those who like old steam engines should visit the Railway-Museum Bochum-Dahlhausen and Station Dahlhausen. Opening hours: Wed, Fri: 10:00 - 17:00; Sun: 10:00 - 13:00; Dr.-C.-Otto-Straße 191; Tel. +49 234 492516
  • At the city's borderline to Herne (Röhlinghausen) is located the former mine Zeche Hannover with the Malakow-Tower and the engine hall. Here you will find the steam-powered winding-engine, which will be operated at events but nowadays with pressed air anstead of steam.
  • Zeche Knirps (Mine small Boy) located on the ground of Mine Hannover. It gives children the opportunity to experience the processes in a mine.
  • Art Museum, focus of the collection is middle- and east-european Avantgarde, german Expressionismus, Surrealismus, Informel und Cobra. Address: Kortumstraße 147
  • Art collection of the Ruhr-University, modern art meets classic art. Kern der Antikensammlung bildet das Ensemble griechisch-römischer (Kaiser) Portraits aus Mamor und Bronze sowie die Sammlung bemalter griechischer Meistervasen des 9. bis 4. Jahrhunderts vor Christus. Address: Universitätsstraße 150
  • Schlieker-House, in the former appartment and studio of the painter Hans-Jürgen Schlieker parts of his lifework are presented in form of changing exebitions. Schlieker (1924-2004) is amoungh the few important German informal painters. Opening Hours: Wed. & Sun. 15:00 - 18:00 Uhr. Address: Paracelsusweg 16, 44801 Bochum
  • Situation Kunst (Situation Art), Buildings in Park of "Haus Weitmar" in Bochum with a permanent exebition important Arts of presence. Arts of Gianni Colombo, Dan Flavin, Gotthard Graupner, Norbert Kricke, Lee Ufan, François Morellet, Maria Nordman, David Rabinowitch, Arnulf Rainer, Dirk Reinartz, Ad Reinhardt, Robert Ryman, Richard Serra, Jan J. Schoonhoven and additionally the Afrika- and Asia-Room. Opening hours: Wed 14:00-18:00, Fri 14:00-18:00, Sat 12:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-18:00. Address: Nevelstr. 29c, 44795 Bochum. Fon: +49-234-2988901, Fax: +49-234-2988902

  • Schoolmuseum, Cruismannstraße 2, 44807 Bochum, Visitations and guided tours should be coordinated with the museum director Peter Schneller, Fon: +49-(0)234-9530795 or +49-(0)234-9101440 (municipality)
  • Telefonmuseum Karl-Lange-Str. 17, Declaration: Hans Dahr Fon.: 0234 284199 or Dieter Nowoczyn Fon.: 0234 260680, admission free

Art in public space

  • Gegenüber dem Hauptbahnhof steht seit 1977 die Großplastik "Terminal" von Richard Serra. Sie besteht aus vier 12 Meter hohen gegeneinander gestellten Stahlplatten, die dem Betrachter von jeder Seite aus eine andere Perspektive vermitteln
  • Ecke Kortumstr./Huestr. steht die Plastik "Ohne Titel" von Ulrich Rückriem. (Wegen Bauarbeiten zur Zeit nicht ausgestellt)
  • Kuhhirten-Denkmal am Massenberg-Boulevard: die Statue stellt Fritz Kortebusch dar, dem letzten Viehirten im Dienste der Stadt. 1870 trieb er zum letzten Mal das Vieh auf die Vöde, heute der Stadtpark.
  • Engelbert-Brunnen auf der Kortumstr. zum Andenken an Graf-Engelbert II der den Bochumern die Stadtrechte in den Jahren 1321-1324 verliehen hat (Wegen Bauarbeiten zur Zeit nicht ausgestellt)
  • Jobsiade-Brunnen auf dem Husemannplatz. Dargestellt wird die Theologieprüfung des Helden Hieronymus Jobs, der Hauptfigur der „Jobsiade“, einem komischen Heldengedicht des Bochumer Dichters und Arztes Carl Arnold Kortum
  • "Die Entfaltung der Stadt", Skulptur an der Schützenbahn von Professor Karl Henning Seemann.
  • Skulpturen im Stadtpark.
  • Die Glocke vor dem Rathaus ist ein Denkmal für den in Bochum vervollkomneten Stahlformguss und die industrielle Blütezeit des Reviers. Die Glocke wurde für Weltausstellung in Paris 1867 gegossen.
  • Stolpersteine - in den Boden eingelassene Messingtafeln erinnern an während des Nationalsozialismus deportierte jüdische Mitbürger.
  • Ehrenmal auf dem Friedhof Hamme für die Opfer des Grubenunglücks auf "Vereinigte Präsident" im Jahre 1936. Die Plastik stammt vom Soester Bildhauer Wilhelm Wulff.

Buildings, production Halls, Monuments

  • The City Hall
  • Miners Settlement "Dahlhauser Heide"

Parks and Lakes

  • The Botanic Garden in oposite of the Ruhr-University offers plants from allover the world, a warmhouse (humid) and a cactus-house (dry). Entry admission free.
  • Chinese Garden (part of the Botanic Garden), the only one in south chinese stile in Germany. Entry admission free.

Do

Events

Parish Fair

Bars

Culture

Music

Cinema

Theatre and Musicals

Bathing and Wellness

Sunbathing

Trips

Sport

passiv

passiv & activ

activ

Cycling
Inline Scating

Learn

Work

Buy

The main shopping-streets in Bochum downtown are Kortumstrasse and Huestrasse.

  • Kortumstrasse
  • Huestrasse
  • Massenberg Boulevard
  • Shopping center Ruhr Park at the eastern city limits.

Souveniers

Beside the standard articles like beer-glasses and t-shirts available at the Ticket-Shop at Huestrasse is a pitlamp a good tip

Eat

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Contact

Stay safe

The cities within the Ruhr area are amoung the safest in Germany. Since the Ruhr is until now not a tourist region, it is not in the focus of pickpockets. But it is a good idea to take the usual precautions. Don't leave you camera unattended, don't flash around a fat wallet. Since many citizens have a migration background, the acceptance of strangers is high and the possibility of encountering racism or other prejudices is low.

Cope

Get out

... to other cities of the Ruhr area

to Düsseldorf web, Köln web

  • Carnival

Münster web

  • old town

Münsterland web

  • Schloss Nordkirchen web
  • Bicycle Tours
  • Wild Horses im Merfelder Bruch
  • Moated Castles

Sauerland web

  • Stalactite Cave Dechenhöhle web
  • Stalactite Cave Kluterthöhle web
  • Stalactite Cave Attahöhle web
  • Winter Sports

Bergisches Land web

  • castle Schloss Burg web
  • City of blades Solingen web

or to the Niederlande.

This page was last edited at 22:43, on 30 January 2009 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Peter Fitzgerald and Hans-Jürgen Wiese and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.