Essen

Andrea Ranke

<div>You can combine the routes Creative Quarter North I &amp; II, but be aware that they both are short, but time consuming, as there is that much to discover. I have tried to show the stops by means of permanent pieces, but there is more that is much more short-lived like paste-ups, tiles or installations. That's Creative Quarter North.</div>

Creative Quarter North Part II

<div>Motorway A40 is one of the busiest highways of North Rhine Westfalia, if it is not the most used. After two years planning, from 14.09. to 30.09.2012, project "Wände Südost" was implemented. The project was focussed to transform 3.500 m of the boring grey acoustic barrier to a huge total artwork and a public open air gallery. Guest were 21 artists from all over the world to play the walls around <a href="https://www.storp9.de/">STORP9</a> in Essen's southeastern district. The driving force behind <a href="https://www.storp9.de/projekt/waende-suedost/">Wände Südost</a> were <a href="https://www.storp9.de/projekt/gigo-propaganda-mostaressen/">GIGO PROPAGANDA</a> and <a href="https://www.storp9.de/projekt/nils-andersch-essen/">Nils Andersch</a>.</div>

Southeast Quarter and Wände Südost

<div>A short walk across Essen's Hall of Fame at Frillendorfer Platz and the crime scene of Hafendampf 2018. Hafendampf is an annual graffiti jam in Essen, which was born 2013. It was named after the location where it takes place traditionally - Essen's little known city port. On the 1st and 2nd of September 2018 the graffity community of North Rhine Westfalia and friends have met in Essen Frilledorf at Franz Fischer Weg for one more spray weekend.&nbsp;</div>

Essen's Eastside Gallery

<div>This HoF is one of those everyone can spray on spontaneously and without asking for permission. Leave main station via main entrance and turn right (Hollestraße). After a walk of 150m take the underpass to cross the tracks and turn left after the tunnel for passers and walk parallel to the tracks (Weiglestraße). You cannot miss those colourful walls.&nbsp;</div>

A short walk to Hall of Fame downtown Essen

<div>This route is possible to walk, but you need time and so you may decide to rent a bike. In Essen there are a number of providers for rental bikes. However, walking or biking, your starting point is Rheinischer Platz. Follow my route to the very end and when you arrive, have a look around. Our best hall of fame at Zollstraße, once was here, just around the corner. May be you'll find the residues or you'll find an unneccesary luxury living area, where in January 2018 construction work has begun with the demolishion of those colourful walls.</div>

Rheinische Bahn Rheinischer Platz -> Altendorf

<div>The northern part of downtown Essen can be described as "possibility room". This part of the town was suffering for a long time during the decline of coal and industry,&nbsp; as well as the whole Ruhr region. Structural change continued to hold the quarter firmly in its grip. A few years ago this part of Essen was charcterized by vacancy, migration and sad atmosphere, but in a redeveloping project a lot of people are working hard for a comeback of the quarter. Artists moved in with their studios, as rents are affordable. Theatres, clubs, restaurants, galleries and much more give free space for a tolerant atmosphere.</div>

Curated routes in Essen