Castrop-Rauxel tells the story of its industrial past through distinctive landmarks and buildings, while cycling routes offer further perspectives on the city. When choosing what to explore, you can focus on different themes: industrial heritage, architecture, cultural venues or outdoor activities. The sights do not form a prescribed itinerary; rather, they reveal different facets of Castrop-Rauxel.
Industrial history and historic sites
At the Ickern junction, a miner’s statue, a winding wheel and the nitrogen column recall Castrop-Rauxel’s mining history. The Henrichenburg Landscape Archaeological Park offers a different glimpse into the past: walls, buildings and towers of the castle have been recreated at its historic site. Here, visible memorials and the reconstruction of a historic building stand side by side.
Baldenhorst Castle is a moated castle dating from the 16th century. It is privately owned and can be viewed from the outside. Haus Goldschmieding offers a different focus: the castle restaurant is open to the public and is located in a sculpture park. Those interested in historic buildings will therefore find both a building to admire from the outside and a publicly accessible venue with a restaurant in Castrop-Rauxel.
Architecture and cultural venues
At the Old Town Market, the individually designed natural-stone façades of the Art Nouveau houses stand out. They date from around 1912 and are considered a unique example of their kind in Westphalia. In Ickern, St. Anthony’s Church displays a different architectural style: Alfred Fischer designed it with a parabolic form between 1922 and 1925. The Old Town Market and the church thus offer two different starting points for exploring the city’s architecture.
The Castrop-Rauxel Forum is also part of the city’s architectural history. It was built to plans by Arne Jacobsen and Otto Weitling and officially opened in 1976. The Westphalian State Theatre has been based in Castrop-Rauxel since 1946. These two venues connect cultural history with specific dates, though they tell different stories: the Forum is associated with its architects and opening, while the theatre is associated with its long-standing home in the city.
SĂĽd Park Bath represents another cultural use: the former outdoor swimming pool now serves as an event venue and a small cabaret stage. Its programme may vary. Those interested in cultural venues can include this former swimming spot alongside the theatre and the Forum, as it is now used for events.
Cycling routes and landscapes
Six signposted cycling routes pass through Castrop-Rauxel, leading to sights, lively squares and quieter corners. The Green Eight offers a more specific impression of the landscape: the circular route passes through woods to the Rhine-Herne Canal, across fields and over the Castroper Heights; industrial heritage can also be seen along the way. Route details may change, so check the latest information before setting out.
For cyclists and pedestrians, “Leap over the Emscher” provides a crossing over the Emscher and the Rhine-Herne Canal at the waterway junction. The route connects the Castrop-Rauxel districts of Henrichenburg and Habinghorst with Recklinghausen. Emscherland is a separate area: it lies on the city boundary between Castrop-Rauxel and Recklinghausen and offers opportunities for hiking, cycling, spending time outdoors and learning in a blue-green landscape.
The routes and places cater to different interests; there is no single choice that suits everyone. The Green Eight combines woodland, the canal, fields, hills and industrial heritage; Emscherland focuses on a blue-green landscape and activities on foot or by bike. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether buildings and city history or landscape and outdoor activity should be the main focus.
Discover more destinations: Gladbeck, Hervest, Datteln, Haltern am See, Dorsten, Herten, Marl, Recklinghausen.
Back to the main travel overview: Recklinghausen.
