Posted by The Schungelberg housing estate is a listed miners’ housing area in the north of Gelsenkirchen. The estate is located between Schungelbergstraße and Holthauser Straße. It was built from 1897 onwards and served as housing for the miners in the nearby coal mines. It is one of the most interesting miners’ housing estates in the Ruhr region.
What is interesting about the Schungelberg mining settlement is that it was built gradually. This makes it possible to understand the different building styles and concepts of a workers’ settlement. Informative descriptions on signs on the signposted tour of the settlement help. The oldest houses (top right) are in Holthauser Straße in the south.
Rungenberg slag heap
Right next to the Schungelberg settlement is the Rungelberg slag heap. A slag heap is an artificial hill made of the worthless residual materials left over from coal mining. Right next to the Schungelbersiedlung settlement, several hundred steps lead up to the top of the slag heap (see picture on the right). Since the Ruhr area is very flat, there is a wonderful view of Gelsenkirchen and the surrounding area from the summit in good weather. At night, the top of the slag heap is artificially illuminated with 2 spotlights. The “Night Sign” light show gives the impression that the slag heap is a pyramid (worth seeing).
How to get to the Schungelberg: From Gelsenkirchen main station, take tram line 301 (underground at the main station) to the “Hugostraße” stop. The Schüugelberg housing estate and the Rungenberg slag heap are in the Buer district.
Related sights: Probably the best known settlement for miners in the Ruhr area is the Margarethenhöhe settlement in Essen.