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Things to know
25 so-called anchor points form the core of the Route of Industrial Culture and bear witness to the industrial cultural diversity in the Ruhr region. At the same time, since the structural change, many slagheaps in the Ruhr area have been developed into so-called landmarks by erecting works of art. They have thus become landmarks of the Ruhr region and attractive destinations for excursions right on your own doorstep. One of the most popular landmarks and anchor points in the Ruhr region is definitely the Tetrahedron in Bottrop (Haldenereignis Emscherblick), which is also the landmark of Bottrop!
It stands on the 60-metre high plateau of the Beckstraße slag heap in the Bottrop district of Batenbrock. It is a steel, 60-metre high, three-sided pyramid that can be walked on. The Tetraeder was opened in 1995 and was designed by the Darmstadt architect Wolfgang Christ. The Beckstraße slag heap itself was built between 1969 and 1993. The three viewing platforms of the Tetrahedron are located at heights of 18, 32 and 38 metres on the steel structure, which weighs over 200 tonnes in total.
But anyone who thinks the Tetrahedron is only an attraction for visitors during the day is mistaken! Thanks to the light installation by Jürgen Fischer (“Fractals”), the Tetraeder is illuminated at night so that it can also be climbed in the dark and is clearly visible from a distance.
Ascent
There are two main routes for the ascent to the Tetrahedron: from the car park on the west side, an asphalt path leads up in serpentines. On the southern side is the Diretissima, a long and steep staircase that, as the name suggests, leads directly up almost 400 steps to the plateau. In addition, there are numerous dirt paths for pedestrians and mountain bikers.
My velomobile and I chose the paved path; the gradient is moderate and the path itself is also ideal for bikes with normal road tyres.
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Arrived at the top
The Tetrahedron is really impressive and walking on the landmark is a must! But you should be free from giddiness, because you always have a clear view downwards and if it is windy then the entire construction sways noticeably, as the 3 platforms are mainly suspended on steel cables.
On a clear day, you have a wonderful view over the western Ruhr area. With the naked eye you can then see, for example, the gasometer in Oberhausen, the Schalke 04 arena, the Haniel slag heap on the city border with Oberhausen and numerous power stations and slag heaps. In the immediate vicinity of the Beckstraße slagheap and the Tetraeder is the Prosper slagheap. Here is the Alpin-Center Bottrop; the longest indoor ski slope in the world, where you can ski and snowboard all year round. There is also a climbing park, a toboggan run and a sky-diving facility.
Weitere Informationen
→ Halde Haniel
→ Route der Industriekultur
→ Alpincenter Bottrop
→ Gasometer Oberhausen
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