European Route of Industrial Heritage


The European Route of Industrial Heritage is a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe. This is a tourism industry information initiative to present a network of industrial heritage sites across Europe. The aim of the project is to create interest for the common European Heritage of the Industrialisation and its legacy. ERIH also wants to promote regions, towns and sites showing the industrial history and market them as visitor attractions in the leisure and tourism industry.

History

The concept of using a European Route of Industrial Heritage was born in 1999; it was recognised there had be no single event to shape the European landscape greater than the industrial revolution. That changed the working culture of all Europeans, and gave common experiences to communities across Europe whether it be deep mine coal workng in the Rühr or South Wales. Four countries, Great Britain, Belgian, Germany and the Netherlands successfully applied for EU Interreg IIC funding to draw up a master plan. The plan demonstrates the economic potential as a primarily marketing brand. It also shows a possible structure. Its reasoning was that many individual sites had great footfall others had a very low profile. They used the analogy of small shops gathering together in large shopping centres for joint promotion. In the language of EU proposals the hubs are called anchor points; these could be cities or existing industrial sites with a developed tourism infrastructure.
The plan culminated in the [|Duisburg Declaration]
With the plan adopted its implementation was funded by, and the scheme rolled out; starting in the northwest and progressing south and east. ERIH is a registered association under German law. When funding ran out there were 850 member attractions which has risen to 1,850 sites across the EU28 countries. In October 2014 further funding was obtained from the EU Creative Europe programme. The European Route of Industrial Heritage has been a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2019.

Anchor points

The – virtual – main route is built by the so-called Anchor Points. These are Industrial Heritage sites which are the historically most important and most attractive for visitors. The route leads through 13 countries thus far : United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
The anchor sites in are:
NationLocationSiteTheme
AmsterdamHeineken Experience – Heineken BreweryProduction and Manufacturing
AugsburgTextile and industrial museum Textiles
BirminghamMuseum of the Jewellery QuarterProduction and Manufacturing
BlaenavonBig Pit National Coal MuseumMining, Landscapes
BlegnyBlegny-MineMining
BocholtTextilWerk Bocholt LWL Industrial MuseumTextiles
CalaisThe International City of Lace and FashionTextiles
CarboniaItalian Centre for Coal Mining, CultureMining, Landscapes
ChemnitzChemnitz Museum of IndustryTextiles, Production and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
CopenhagenVisit Carlsberg / Carlsberg Visitors CentreProduction and Manufacturing
Cornellà de LlobregatMuseu Agbar de les AigüesWater
CromfordDerwent Valley MillsTextiles, Landscapes
DelmenhorstNordwolleTextiles, Housing and Architecture
DortmundLWL Industrial Museum Zollern II/IV CollieryMining, Housing and Architecture
DuisburgNorth Duisburg Landscape ParkIron and Steel, Landscapes
DundeeVerdant WorksTextiles
DuxfordImperial War Museum DuxfordTransport and Communication, Industry and War
ElsecarElsecar Heritage CentreMining
EnschedeTwentseWelleTextiles
EssenZollverein XII Colliery & Coking Plant World Heritage SiteMining, Housing and Architecture
EuskirchenLVR Industrial Museum Mueller Cloth MillTextiles
FalunFalun Mine, World Heritage SiteMining, Landscapes
FurtwangenGerman Clock Museum, German Clock RouteProduction and Manufacturing
GentMuseum of Industrial Archaeology and TextileTextiles
GoslarMines of Rammelsberg World Heritage SiteMining
GräfenhainichenFerropolis - Town of IronMining, Iron and Steel
GrimetonWorld Heritage GrimetonTransport and Communication
GrossouvreCharcoal halle of GrossouvreIron and Steel
HaarlemmermeerSteam Pumping Station De CruquiusWater, Housing and Architecture
HamburgHamburg Museum of WorkProduction and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
HoornHoorn-Medemblik Steam Tram MuseumTransport and Communication
HoyerswerdaLusatia Mining Museum, Knappenrode Energy FactoryMining, Application of Power, Landscapes
KerkradeDiscovery Center Continium, KerkradeMining, Production and Manufacturing
Kongens LyngbyBrede WorksTextiles, Production and Manufacturing, Housing and Architecture
LageWestphalian Industrial Museum Brick Works LageProduction and Manufacturing
LanarkNew LanarkTextiles, Housing and Architecture
LichterfeldOverburden Conveyor Bridge F60Mining, Iron and Steel, Landscapes
LlanberisNational Slate MuseumProduction and Manufacturing, Housing and Architecture, Landscapes
ŁódźManufaktura, Museum of the FactoryTextiles
LondonLondon Museum of Water & SteamApplication of Power, Water
MarcinelleBois du CazierMining
MedemblikNetherlands Steam Machine MuseumProduction and Manufacturing, Application of Power
NarvikMuseum Nord, NarvikTransport and Communication
NorthwichLion Salt WorksMining, Salt
OberhausenGasometer next to CentrOIron and Steel, Application of Power
OsloNorwegian Museum of Science, Technology, Industry and MedicineTextiles
OstravaMichal MineMining
PapenburgMeyer ShipyardProduction and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
PeenemündeThe Peenemünde Historical MuseumProduction and Manufacturing, Application of Power, Landscapes
Pendeen, PenzanceGeevor Tin MineMining, Landscapes
Petite-RosselleCarreau Wendel MuseumMining
PilsenPilsner Urquell Brewery and MuseumProduction and Manufacturing
PratoCampolmi Factory, Lazzerini Library, Textile MuseumTextiles
RedruthHeartlandsMining
RjukanNorwegian Industrial Workers MuseumApplication of Power
SheffieldKelham Island MuseumIron and Steel, Production and Manufacturing, Application of Power
SolingenLVR Industrial Museum Hendrichs Drop ForgeIron and Steel
SouthamptonBursledon Brickworks Industrial MuseumProduction and Manufacturing
SpillumNorwegian Sawmill MuseumProduction and Manufacturing
St AustellWheal MartynProduction and Manufacturing, Landscapes, Mining
SwanseaNational Waterfront MuseumMining, Iron and Steel, Production and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
Tarnowskie GóryTarnowskie Góry silver mineMining
TelfordIronbridge Gorge MuseumsIron and Steel, Production and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
TerrassaCatalan Museum of Science and IndustryTextiles, Transport and Communication, Application of Power
TychyTyskie Brewing MuseumProduction and Manufacturing
TyssedalNorwegian Museum of Hydro Power and IndustryApplication of Power, Landscapes
VölklingenWorld Heritage Site Voelklingen Iron WorksIron and Steel, Application of Power, Landscapes
WakefieldNational Coal Mining Museum for EnglandMining
Waltham AbbeyWaltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder MillsProduction and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication, Landscapes
ZaandamZaanse SchansApplication of Power, Water
ZabrzeGuido historic coal mineMining
ZehdenickMildenberg Brick Work ParkProduction and Manufacturing
ZevenaarBrick Works De PanovenProduction and Manufacturing
ZwickauAugust Horch MuseumProduction and Manufacturing, Transport and Communication
ŻywiecŻywiec Brewery MuseumProduction and Manufacturing

Regional Routes

Regional Routes cover regions as where industrial history has left its mark. Currently there are seventeen:
;Austria
;Germany
;Netherlands
;Poland
;Spain
;United Kingdom

European Theme Routes

Thirteen European Theme Routes show the diversity of industrial landscapes all over Europe and the common roots of industrial history: