Sightseeing in Oberhausen - what to see. Complete travel guide

This is a large industrial city located in the western part of the country. Oberhausen got its modern name in 1847 and in 1929 its territory was greatly expanded by merging the neighboring villages.

Just like any old town, Oberhausen carefully cherishes its historical and architectural monuments, and so visitors attend the sights of the city with curiosity and admiration. Burg Fondern Castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the city. The castle was built by the duke in the 12th century. Once the castle was surrounded by deep ditches filled with water; today only small traces barely remind of them. The western facade of the castle, which is made in the late Gothic style, is the best-looking one. In addition to the spacious halls of the castle visitors can go down into the cellar, which has a kitchen and a huge room with fireplace. Nowadays one of the halls of the castle stores an exhibition of the archaeological museum. Moreover, if you visit the resort in August, you will be able to witness a huge festival knights.

The most unusual attraction is the Halde Haniel, which has appeared from the collapse of rocks at the site of coal mining. Its height estimates 159 meters, and today a landscape park is organized at the site of the waste bank. In the center of park is located the amphitheater called the Mountain Arena. Here are regularly conducted various plays and concerts, the arena can accommodate over 800 spectators. You should also don’t forget to visit the Museum of the Industrial Culture of the Rhineland, as well as the recently opened Sea Life Aquarium. The last place should be well-known to football fans, because here lived octopus Paul, which became internationally famous for its infallible predictions.

One of the most important local historic landmarks is the 12th-century Oberhausen Castle that originally served as a family estate. It is still known very little about the early history of the castle: in the middle of the 15th century, it was an important defensive structure, which allowed to protect a ford on the river. The castle was partially destroyed and plundered during numerous wars. Today it is completely restored and is a vivid example of classical-style architecture. Within the walls of the castle there are several interesting museums and art galleries; here you can also visit a fine German restaurant. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

An equally valuable historic monument is the Holten Castle, the very first mention of which dates back to 1307. Over the years, this castle had been of great strategic importance but was subsequently almost completely destroyed during the Eighty Years' War. Restoration of the castle began in the early 18th century, and later a school was opened in the renovated building. Today, the partially restored building houses one of the local sports societies. As part of the tour, tourists can visit only its eastern part.

An interesting sight of the industrial city is the Gasometer Oberhausen - the former largest gas holder in Europe built almost a hundred years ago. Even during the Second World War, it has survived numerous bombardments and fires. The gasometer had been operated until 1946. This year it was damaged by fire, after which the subsequently restored industrial facility had been used until the end of the 1980s. Recently the former gas holder has been converted into an interesting cultural center. It has several great observation platforms, holds modern exhibitions and often hosts all kinds of entertainment events.

Fans of fascinating tours should definitely explore the Neue Mitte where they will find lots of interesting cultural sites. Here you can find a unique model railway layout created by the best masters of the city as well as the original Top Secret Spy Museum, which is very popular among young people. It offers an original exposition devoted to the famous spies of our time.