ABSTRACT

The Ruhr District in Germany, an old region of coal and steel industries that were founded in the nineteenth century, has been made the European Capital of Culture for 2010. The subject of this chapter is an analysis of this act of staging. It ventures specifically into the dimension of experience, the aesthetic qualities that give the region its distinct identity, and the emotional foundation that underpins such a 'metropolitanization' strategy. The chapter starts by supplying background information on the region and providing an outline of the interests and approaches of key actors, involving the question of how a 'metropolis' can be based on a poly structural environment. Then a discussion on tourism provides an entry into the debate of experience of the region and the impact of mental structuring through attraction and fascination. Then it goes on to the question of what kind of atmospheres is desired and available, and whether they have a metropolitan quality.