Mahaleb Cherry
The delicate, white blossoms of the Mahaleb cherry appear early in the year. Botanically, it is known for its extreme drought resistance and its ability to thrive even on barren soils. As a symbol of resilience and new beginnings, it bears small, aromatic fruits that are prized by birds as food and lend the landscape a touch of wild romance.
Mahaleb Cherry (Prunus mahaleb)
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Distribution: | Europe, Western Asia, particularly in wine-growing regions |
| Size: | 4–8 metres tall, 4–6 metres wide |
| Lifespan: | up to 50 years |
| Requirements: | full sun, tolerates extreme drought and heat |
| Soil: | grows even on dry, stony soils |
| Benefits: | Provides a source of nectar for bees and a food source and shelter for birds due to its dense branching |
From a mining shaft to a World Heritage Site
December 1968: After 135 years, Zollverein ceases coal mining. 1,300 employees are prepared for the closure; many move to other collieries – and yet a heavy shadow hangs over the moment when the then most modern and largest colliery in the world is bid farewell to the sound of the foreman’s song. No one suspects that the site, having only just been declared a monument by ministerial decree, is merely at the beginning of a new chapter: 15 years later, on 14 December 2001, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee designates the Zollverein Coal Mine and Coking Plant industrial complex as a World Heritage Site. As a “representative example of the development of heavy industry in Europe,” the “exceptionally valuable architecture, influenced by the Bauhaus style,” is set to join the Statue of Liberty in the USA and the Palace of Versailles on the list.
What was once a “forbidden city” to outsiders is now opening up to the world. Around 1.5 million people flock to the site every year, which has become an international hub for art, culture, design and major public events – a World Heritage Site that visitors can explore, and one of the few where commercial enterprises are also permitted to set up shop. More than 150 companies have since set up shop here.
Reason for planting
A quarter of a century of transformation, culture and new energy: the Zollverein Industrial Complex will celebrate 25 years of World Heritage status in 2026. RAG-Stiftung, which has been promoting the cultural site and neighbourly relations between the World Heritage site and District VI since 2012, is dedicating a Mahaleb cherry tree on Hugo to this special anniversary.
