Landschaftspark Hoheward, Public park between Herten and Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Landschaftspark Hoheward is a large recreational park between Herten and Gelsenkirchen built on two former mining hills of different heights, crisscrossed with walking and cycling routes. The site offers visitors multiple ways to explore the landscape through connected pathways and trails across the terrain.

The site grew from transforming mining waste heaps into a public recreational destination after coal extraction ended in the region. This conversion shows how the Ruhr transformed abandoned industrial areas into new community spaces.

The park's name comes from the Hoheward heap, whose summit carries a sundial with an obelisk and a horizon observatory. Astronomers helped plan these installations from 2001, and the site has been part of the Route der Industriekultur since early 2011. The heap rises 152.5 m and is the third-highest spoil tip in the Ruhr.

The park lies between Herten and Recklinghausen, with the Hoheward spoil heap as its centre; the Emscherbruch fen and the Ewaldsee lie at its edges. Paths climb to the 152.5 m summit plateau, so sturdy shoes help. The site is reached via the A2 and A43 motorways and the Ewald colliery area, where three winding towers remain.

The park's planners included astronomers from 2001, which explains why its summit carries a sundial with obelisk and a horizon observatory rather than the usual lookout tower. The first construction phase alone cost around 9 million euros, funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and other backers.