Gelsenkirchen was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1147. The discovery of hard coal in mid- 1900 triggered the industrialisation of the Gelsenkirchen area. Gelsenkirchen quickly developed into a large industrial city to become for some time Europe's most important city for the coal, iron and steel industries. It long held the nickname "City of thousand fires".

Since the beginning of the coal crisis at the end of the Fifties, the city has been striving for structural change and a new economic structure after domination by the coal, iron and steel industries.

In 1997, the reclaimed Nordstern mine became the site of the Federal German Garden Exhibition and was developed into culturally-marked landscape and trade park for the public. The last hard coal mine was closed in 1998. That same year the foundation stone was laid for the Arena Auf Schalke, one of the most ambitious projects in sport buildings.

With 5.4 million people the Ruhr Region is among the most densely populated, and one of the largest and economically important conurbations in Europe. The Region boasts a unique concentration of sporting activities, sports-related infrastructure and sporting tradition. Football has special importance here: Germany's "heart of football" beats in the Ruhr Region, the club FC Schalke 04 is an institution in itself with its club colours blue and white. Within a radius of just 50 kilometres around Gelsenkirchen, numerous renowned football clubs are at home in the Ruhr Region, among them three clubs currently playing in the Bundesliga.

The fact that Gelsenkirchen´s football clubs have approx. 33,000 members, and that more than 900,000 fans came to watch FC Schalke 04´s home matches in 1998, further prove that tradition is paired with enthusiasm.

• Home of Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 with 1997 UEFA Cup Final against Inter Mailand