Mülheim industrial tour: Stinnes, Thyssen, Haub dynasties podcast

The families who built Mülheim's wealth left their mark on every street: villas, universities, cemeteries, and the river itself.

A self-guided podcast tour of Mülheim follows six stops across 6.8 km, tracing how three industrial dynasties shaped the city through coal, steel, and strategic patronage. You navigate by app, listen to audio narration from experts and locals, and use an interactive AI guide to explore the villas, research institutions, cemeteries, and urban landmarks they financed. Suitable for ages 13 and up. Available in English and German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mülheim's industrial heritage

• Visit world-class research institution
• See resting place of industrialists
• View magnificent 1920s urban building
• Explore lock island infrastructure site
• Admire opulent industrial villas
• Visit modern university funded by Haub family

The experience

Mülheim's wealth came from three families (Stinnes, Thyssen, and Haub), and this tour maps the physical proof across the city. You start with a research institution founded in 1912, built on industrial money to expand coal empires further, then move to the cemetery where these industrialists are buried, a monumental space that reflects their dynastic ambitions. The stops include a 1920s urban hall financed by wealthy elites, the lock island that symbolizes the infrastructure projects making the Ruhr navigable, one of their palatial villas showing the scale of private wealth the steel industry generated, and a modern university supported by Haub family retail wealth. The app guides you point-to-point between each one.

The audio runs in podcast style: experts and locals narrate the power dynamics, the unscrupulous choices, and the visionary projects these families undertook. An interactive AI guide built into the app answers questions about history and the surroundings as you walk, so you're not just hearing a story but able to dig into what you're standing in front of. The whole route is 6.8 km over roughly 2.7 hours, paced so you can linger at each stop or move through faster depending on your interest. Navigation happens through the app, so you don't need to print anything or figure out directions by hand.

The tour is available in English and German, and suitable for anyone 13 and older. Public transportation options are nearby if you want to skip parts of the walk or need to cut the day short. Service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Podcast-style audio narration from experts and locals.
• interactive AI guide in the app to answer questions about history and surroundings.
• point-to-point navigation between the six stops.
• verified historical facts woven into the storytelling.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?Solo travelers and small groups interested in industrial history and urban power dynamics will appreciate the self-guided format, which lets you pause at any stop to explore deeper through the app's AI guide or move through faster if a site doesn't hold your attention. The podcast narration works whether you're walking alone or with a friend, and the app keeps you on track without the pace of a group tour.

Top questions

What are the six stops on this Mülheim tour?

The stops are a 1912 research institution founded on industrial wealth; the cemetery where Mülheim's industrialists are buried; a 1920s urban hall financed by wealthy elites; the lock island symbolizing the Ruhr infrastructure projects; a palatial villa showing the scale of private wealth from steel; and a modern university supported by the Haub family.

How does the app guide work on this self-guided tour?

The app provides point-to-point navigation between the six stops and includes an interactive AI guide that answers questions about the history and surroundings as you walk, so you can explore at your own pace and dig deeper into what interests you.

How long does this Mülheim tour take?

The full route covers 6.8 km and takes roughly 2.7 hours, though you can move faster or linger longer at individual stops depending on your interest.

What languages is the audio available in?

The podcast-style audio narration is available in English and German.

Is this tour suitable for families with teenagers?

The tour is suitable for ages 13 and up, and all physical fitness levels can complete the 6.8 km walk at their own pace using the app.