Hattingen

Hattingen was first mentioned in 990 as Hatneggen, followed by the founding of the town in 1396. In 1554 the town was recognised by the Hanseatic League, and its location helped the textile trade to flourish. After some run-ins with the French and Swedes, the town continued to grow steadily. Following the establishing of the Henrichshütte steelworks in 1854, Hattingen started booming rapidly. World War II meant massive support for the regime and also becoming an important air raid target. After heavy damage the historic town was rebuild but neglected in the post-war period, though public resistance meant only parts of it were demolished in the 1970s. Despite large protests, increasing competition and a bad location caused the closure of the steelworks from 1987 on, causing the loss of almost 10,000 workers and leaving a massive scar to this day.

The city had managed the transition to service industry better. The historic old town was threatened with demolition in the post-war period, but this was largely prevented, besides the southern part of the core, where a large supermarket now stands. Walking around gives you a good taste of how a typical small German city centre (before bombs and concrete boxes) looked like. Several festivals throughout the year invite locals and visitors alike, with the historic Christmas market from the end of November to Christmas as the highlight, drawing people from near and far.

Hattingen is a collection of settlements in a hilly area, with the Ruhr River running through the north of it, near the city centre.

The centre of the historic core is St Georg's Church. Heggerstraße is the main shopping street and slowly rises up in elevation from the plateau of Hattingen Mitte as you go north.

In clockwise-order the smaller settlements are:

• Welper, a garden suburb featuring a lot of greenery. Originally build for the workers and their families of the nearby steelworks. Stores and eateries can be found along "Marxstraße" and "Thingstraße".

• Blankenstein, small and formerly an independent town before 1971, it offers Burg Blankenstein, a small core with historic buildings and a great vista over the Ruhr Valley.
• Holthausen, a suburb developed in multiple stages since the 1960s, not much of touristic worth can be found here, location of rehabilitation clinic.
• Bredenscheid, small village, lies on cycle path to Wuppertal. Accommodation, two eateries and a 'Sparkasse' ATM can be found here. South of it mostly nature.
• Niederstüter, small settlements between natural areas, great area for walks and hikes. 'Wodantal' valley is a popular road for motorbikes on weekends.
• Elfringhausen, basically the same as Niederstüter but to the west, focused along 'Felderbachstraße' road. No public transport lines serve it directly.
• Niederbonsfeld, private single-family houses between horse stables and fields. No facilities except petrol station on "Kohlenstraße", near the south end of "Tippelstraße"
• Niederwenigern, more affluent town above the Ruhr Valley, large catholic cathedral and hospital, shops of daily needs along "Essener Straße"
• Winz-Baak, another 1960s era suburb, mix of single- and multifamily buildings, above Ruhr meadows.
• Rauendahl, similar to Winz-Baak but with more diverse population. An 'Aldi' market and a couple shops for daily needs can be found at the entry to the neighbourhood.

Neighbouring towns are Bochum, Witten, Sprockhövel, Wuppertal, Velbert and Essen.

• 🌍 Tourism Office (Touristeninformation), Haldenplatz 3 (from shopping centre walk to left of 'Kaufland', turn right at corner and left at second street, use right alley), ☏ +49 2324 204 3095, info@hattingen-marketing.de. M-F 09:00-13:00, 14:00-16:00; Sa 10:00-13:00. Gives information about city. (updated Nov 2021)

The nearest airports are

• Düsseldorf Airport is 40 km away. By car, take A44 follow signs for Velbert, take exit 38 'Langenberg', right, left at first traffic light, follow signs for Hattinge By public transport, take skytrain to Airport station, board regional services RE1, 2, 5, 6 or 11 to Essen Hauptbahnhof, take S3 to Hattingen Mitte (S) station.

• Dortmund Airport is also about 30 km away. By car, take B1/A40 westbound towards Essen, change to A43 at Exit 38 Kreuz Bochum, exit 21 Witten-Herbede, follow signs for Hattingen. By public transport, take the expensive shuttle bus to Dortmund or use Bus #490 for Aplerbeck U, change to U47, change at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, use RE1 or 6 to Bochum, use Bus #SB37 or Subway 308 to Hattingen.

🌍 Hattingen Mitte (Busbahnhof/ ZOB). Central bus/tram/train/taxi station. If you arrive by those in Hattingen, it'll likely be here. (updated Nov 2021)

Long-distance train services stop in nearby Bochum and Essen, both can be reached from Hattingen in 25-30 minutes on public transport. Suburban Railway S 3 runs every 30 minutes from Oberhausen via Essen to Hattingen, terminating at an underground station. Before that, it'll stop at Hattingen (Ruhr) Station, which is always disabled-accessible, unlike Hattingen Mitte station, whose elevator often may not work.

Streetcar line 308 connects the northeast and centre of Bochum to Hattingen M-Sa every 15 min, every 30 min on Sunday and holidays.

The bus station serves local and regional buses, digital signs show you the scheduled departure times whilst you wait in the cold.

See the website of regional transport authority VRR for specific schedules, fares and further information.

Coaches on booked trips will drop you off at the car park next to a large World War II bunker across from Reschop-Carree centre.

Autobahn A43: Exit 21 Witten-Herbede, follow signs Hattingen, keep following main road past Blankenstein, turn off short dual-carriageway, left, at second light (large building straight ahead) left, up the hill and follow signs.

From the south: A43 Exit 22 Sprockhövel, follow signs for Hattingen, park at Reschop-Carre.

The 🌍 Historic Town Centre features over 150 historic buildings

• 🌍 Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), Untermarkt 9. Medieval town hall build in 1576, used to govern the town until 1910, nowadays open as art exhibition. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Flatiron House (Bügeleisenhaus), Haldenplatz 1. closed for renovations since 2021. Flatiron shaped timberframe house from 1611, used by merchants, clothmakers and a jewish family of butcher until World War II. After being owned by the Jewish trust corporation and the city, it was bought and renovated to be used as museum until 2021. (updated Feb 2024)

• 🌍 Saint George's Church (St. Georgskirche), Kirchplatz. Church from the 1200s, rebuild in 1450 and renovated in the early 1800s. The crooked steeple is allegedly the revenge of carpenters but most likely just a construction error. German services on sunday. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Church Square (Kirchplatz). Church square with medieval houses completely surrounded St. George's Church. Restaurants, old headstones, a monument, cobblestone paving: A picturesque european square. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 City Wall and Moat Street (Stadtmauer und Grabenstraße). remains of the historic city wall. Protecting the narrow streets and buildings behind it from attacking troops and bandits, most of it eventually was broken down at start of the 1800s. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Krämersdorf. Post-war rebuild square with collonnade surrounding it, shaded by trees and often host to events. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Upper Market (Obermarkt). Small square with water art installation reminding to the days of horse-drawn shipping on the Ruhr River. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Lower Market (Untermarkt). One of the main places of the historic centre. Very busy during events. 1 - 24 December "Frau Holle" (Miss Holle) will open a calendar window in the facade of the old town hall, read stories and throw sweets every day at 17:00. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Synagogue Square (Synagogenplatz). Former location of the Hattingen Synagogue, burnt down by the Nazis in 1933. A small memorial reminds of the almost completely erased jewish life in the town. (updated Feb 2024)

• 🌍 Blankenstein castle (Burgruine Blankenstein), Burgstr. 16 ("Burg Blankenstein" 350 or "Museum/Klinik" SB38, 350). Partially reconstructed ruins of medieval castle, great vista over Ruhr Valley. Location of granting Bochum's town rights in 1321. Today it houses a restaurant. (updated Oct 2021)
• 🌍 Bismarck Tower (Bismarckturm), Schulenburgstr ("Schulenburg" Bus 359). 11-m-tall stone 'tower' build in 1901 to honour former Reichs-Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Key can be borrowed from nearby Schulenburg restaurant. (updated Nov 2021)
• 🌍 Blankenstein Old Town, Bus 350, NE4, SB38 Stop "Museum / Klinik". Once a small independent town until the 1970s, Blankenstein lies in the shadow of the namesake castle and still has some historic buildings in the village. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Henrichshütte Steel Works (LWL-Industriemuseum Henrichshütte), Werksstraße 31-33 (Bus: "Henrichshütte" 350,SB37 / "Industriemuseum" 554), ☏ +49 2324 9247140. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, last admission 17:00, closed Monday and 31 Dec/1 Jan. Old defunct steel works turned museum, blast furnace open for visitors. (updated Nov 2021)
• 🌍 Isenburg Castle Ruins (Burgruine Isenburg), Am Isenberg 2 ("Isenberg" 331, 141 or "Isenberger Weg" 647). Ruins of late 12th-/early 13th-century Isenburg castle, ruins dug out 1969-1989 by local school club, great view over Hattingen and Ruhr, small museum open Sun/Holiday afternoons. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Kemnade Castle, An der Kemnade 10 ("Haus Kemnade" 350 or "Steinenhaus" SB38, SB67, 320, 350). Medieval water castle next to Ruhr, houses an instrument exhibition of Museum Bochum gallery as well as a restaurant and marriage chapel. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Railway Bridge Hattingen (Eisenbahnbrücke Hattingen). Steelframe truss railway bridge opened in 1874. Narrow footpath on the north side. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Schulenberg Tunnel (from Steinhagentor follow Friedrichstrasse then at 3rd intersection go right on Grünstrasse). Former 195-m-long railway tunnel in use from 1884 - 1984. Now part of the bike trail on the old line. (updated Feb 2024)

• 🌍 Christmas Market, inside city centre ("Hattingen Mitte" station). Christmas Market annually, late Nov to late Dec. Food, drinks, souvenirs between half-timbered houses. free. (updated Oct 2021)
• 5 to 7 April, The Hattingen Spring Festival in the old town, food, drink, live music.
• 7 April Sunday open for business
• 26 to 29 April Spring funfair on the town hall square.
• 31 May - 2 June Hattingen Old Town Festival with live music and gastronomy
• 2 June Sunday open for business
• 24-25 August 🌍 Mercedes Meet-up Annual major gathering of and for fans of Mercedes vehicles, including dealer mile and award ceremonies. 2023 over 2000 vehicles from all eras and 13,000 visitors. Next date: 24 - 25 August 2024.
• 1 June Extraschicht Ruhrgebiet, evening events in museums and at old industrial sites throughout the Ruhr region and also at Henrichshütte
• From 6 to 9 September the big autumn fair takes place on the Rathausplatz.
• 3 to 6 October: the autumn market and Panhasfest in the city centre
• 6 October Sunday open for business
• 15 December Sunday open for business

• Enjoy the Ruhr Meadows, ☏ 112 (emergency). On sunny days you can find locals enjoying the meadows besides the Ruhr, but you should never attempt to swim in it, drowning victims are sadly an occurrence almost every summer. (updated Nov 2021)
• 🌍 Public Pool Welper (Freibad Welper), Marxstraße 99 (Bus 350 Stop Gesamtschule Welper), ☏ +49 2324 6827330. M Th 07:00-20:00, Tu W F Sa 08:00-20:00. Small slightly outdated but clean public open-air swimming pool, diving boards, public and private changing rooms, child pool. Open 16 May — 25 Aug, early/longer if weather permits. Adult €3.80. (updated Dec 2023)
• 🌍 Old Hattingen-Wuppertal Railtrail (Glückauf-Trasse) (south on "Nierenhofer Str", left after bridge and before "Shell"). 27-km-long former Hattingen-Wuppertal Railway via Sprockhövel, closed in 1988, now foot- and cycle path. It's not paved but it is well maintained, no lights at night. Plenty of nature and occasional railway remnants like tunnels, bridges, station buildings. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Ruhr Valley Bikepath (Ruhrtalradweg). 240-km bike path along River Ruhr, Winterberg - Duisburg. (updated Oct 2021)
• 🌍 Skatepark Hattingen, along Ruhr, at the end of "Ruhrdeich" ("Ruhrallee" Bus 554, runs Monday to Friday only). Daily 10:00-22:00. Small skate park next to Ruhr River in commercial estate. (updated Nov 2021)
• 🌍 Ruhr Valley Railway (Ruhrtalbahn) (Hattingen train station, not Hattingen Mitte). The railway museum in Bochum offers rides on historic trains between their Museum and Wetter-Wengern via Hattingen on the Ruhr Valley Railway between April and Oktober. On the first sunday of the month the trains will be pulled by steam engines. Adult return trip €24.00. (updated Apr 2024)

🌍 Deutsche Post (Post office), Moltkestr. 6 (Bus 350 "Hüttenstraße", enter pedestrian street and right at first cross street). M-F 09:30-13:00, 14:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-13:00. Post office. Unreliable opening times. (updated Oct 2021)

Hattingen's postal codes are 45525, 45527 and 45529. If in doubt just use 45525, it all goes through the same grumpy post office anyways.

The telephone area code is 02324.

Public wifi is spotty but available, as alternative the McDonald's (Kreisstr. 29a), west of the centre, offers free wifi. During its opening hours the 🌍 Hattingen Public Library (open M Tu Th F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-14:00) on the 3rd floor of the Reschop-Carree has wifi and public PCs against a small fee.

The two local and regional papers are Stadtspiegel and WAZ, which won't be of great use if you don't speak german. The former one has birth and death announcements in it.

For international news you'll have to use the internet like normal people or make use of the book store at Essen central station.

• DITIB Fatih Moschee (Mosque), Martin-Luther-Straße 24, Tel: +492324919501

• 🌍 Hospital (Ev. Krankenhaus), Bredenscheider Str. 54, 24/7 Emergency Room, Busses 330, 332, 558, SB37 Stop "Ev. Krankenhaus" or Bus 359 Stop "Blumenweg"
• 🌍 Police Hattingen, Nierenhofer Str. 14, open 00:00-24:00, Bus 647 Stop "Bruchstr." or 10 minute walk (at entrance to S-Bahn Hattingen Mitte go left on main road "Nierenhofer Strasse")