MARTIN KIRCHNER/LAIF/REDUXIn the Loop
Perched on a hill of old
mining slag, the sculptural
steel walkway “Tiger &
Turtle—Magic Mountain”
(pictured) gives a new
perspective on the city
of Duisburg, Germany. In
nearby Bottrop, there’s no
ignoring the “Tetraeder,”
a 200-foot-tall, walkable
steel pyramid rising out of
a mine dump. Both cities
lie in the Ruhr region of
western Germany, whose
coal and steel operations
fueled the nation’s indus-
trial success between the
1930s and ’80s. Today,
coal mining has screeched
to a halt, but the region
is spinning fresh stories
around its legacy by repur-
posing sites into cultural
attractions. Another to
visit? Essen’s Zollverein
Coal Mine Industrial
Complex, now a hub for
art, concerts, and sports.
—Sunaina Kumar
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019