A few decades ago, the German Ruhrgebiet was known mostly for its pollution. Nowadays, people have discovered the stern beauty of the now defunct mines and plants, and strive to preserve them. For this reason the Ruhrgebiet was made European capital of Culture in 2010.

The images in this series were taken at various locations in the Ruhrgebiet and include locations normally closed to the general public.

If you would like to photograph industrial heritage like this yourself, join us on our weekend photography tour in Dortmund. We will (of course) also take you to “forbidden” places!