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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBut rather than talking about Germany overall, let\u2019s talk about Essen. It\u2019s likely that you haven\u2019t heard of Essen before, so we\u2019re going to change that today. Essen was an industrial city for centuries with its primary residence being those who worked in the coal mine and similar industries. You see, for 135 years, the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex<\/a>\u00a0served as the world\u2019s largest coal-mining facility, employing 8,000 minors during its peak, most of which lived nearby in Essen. In 1986, the coal mine was decommissioned, the walls were torn down, and it was transformed into a museum, a center for events, and much more. It even has a swimming pool and an ice-skating rink on its premises now. So, when visiting Essen, it’s important to visit Zollverein Coal Mine and learn about this city’s history prior to venturing out and seeing all that Essen has to offer. I highly recommend a visit into the Red Dot Design Museum in its complex, too, which analyses and displays what truly makes a good design.<\/p>\n\n\n Since the close of the mine, Essen has had a focus on green living and sustainability<\/a>, shedding its industrial past and allowing people to see its chic modern beauty, which has been heavily influenced by its past industries. There are many exciting and inspiring things to do in Essen, and we\u2019re going to tell you all about them! <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Villa H\u00fcgel<\/a> is a massive estate where the Krupp family lived after Alfred Krupp had the home designed with \u2018modern\u2019 elements in 1846. For its time, it was incredibly advanced, with Krupp asking for interior heating and cooling systems during a period well before that was a normal occurrence. It sits gloriously on a hill overlooking the waters of the nearby river in all its charm and glory. This home is a center of history and culture for the region and one that you really have to see for yourself, for the architectural elements, the culture, the artistic flare, and the historical download. There is so much to the Villa H\u00fcgel, and with new rooms open to the public as of this year, it\u2019s worth the visit to see for yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n If you have the time, I encourage you to read up on the Krupp family legacy that they left behind in Essen, too. The Krupps created a literal community of homes for their workers and even started an early form of health insurance for them. After hearing all about the Krupps at Villa H\u00fcgel, it’s safe to say that they were quite ahead of their time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hearing about Essen\u2019s industrial roots may make you immediately think there\u2019s no gorgeous outdoor activities to do, but you would be wrong. There are miles and miles of hiking trails all throughout Essen which paint the perfectly picturesque urban hiking experience. You can start on the outskirts of town and walk above the lush fields and overlook beautiful river views before hiking more into the city, itself. You can enjoy a nice meal over the water if you\u2019d like to stop for a delicious vegan meal, and I would be remiss if I failed to bring up the remains of the Isenburg Castle<\/a> which sits in beautiful serenity on top of the riverbanks. It\u2019s one of the most charming scattered castle remains I\u2019ve seen. You can read more about Essen\u2019s hiking trails here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/www.visitessen.de\/essentourismus_tourismusinformation\/wandern_in_essen\/wandern_in_essen.en.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n Okay, when hearing the term \u2018virtual reality\u2019 (VR), I think we all get a strong idea in our heads at this point. But the historical virtual reality experience in Essen<\/a> really takes that whole idea to the next level. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. You start at the tourist information center outside the main train station, get your own device, glasses, and earphones, and start off on a historical tour of the town. You follow a GPS system that appears in your field of vision to different points of interest where scenelets play out before your eyes. But it all happens while you can still see what\u2019s going on around you. The scenes are over-layed in a semi-transparent way over our modern reality. It\u2019s one of the most impressive and exciting VR experiences I\u2019ve seen to date, and you definitely have to try this out for yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nVisit the Villa H\u00fcgel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nGo Urban Hiking<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nTake a Tour Back Through Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Visit the Museum Folkwang<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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