Gelsenkirchen
City of a thousand fires, home of Schalke 04.
Gelsenkirchen is the 26th-most populous city of Germany and the 12th-most populous in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with a population of 266,199 as of 2025. On the Emscher River, it lies at the centre of the Ruhr area, the fifth-largest city after Dortmund, Essen, Duisburg and Bochum. The city is home to the football club Schalke 04, which is named after Gelsenkirchen-Schalke. The club's current stadium Veltins-Arena, however, is located in Gelsenkirchen-Erle.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Gelsenkirchen-Erle, Germany
- Fan base nickname
- Die Königsblauen (team color nickname)
Lore & Background
Gelsenkirchen was first documented in 1150, but it remained a tiny village until the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution led to the economic and population growth of the region. In 1840, when the mining of coal began, 6,000 inhabitants lived in Gelsenkirchen; by 1900 the population had increased to 138,000. In the early 20th century, Gelsenkirchen was the most important coal mining town in Europe. It was called the 'city of a thousand fires' for the flames of mine gases flaring at night. In 1928, Gelsenkirchen was merged with the adjoining cities of Buer and Horst. The city bore the name Gelsenkirchen-Buer, until it was renamed Gelsenkirchen in 1930.
Reader's Guide
The club was founded in 1904 in the Schalke district. The original name was 'Westfalia Schalke'. The nickname 'Die Königsblauen' refers to the team's color.
More in Veltins-Arena & Fan Culture
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