Volklingen

Völklingen is defined by the Völklinger Hütte, the world's only fully preserved 19th/20th-century ironworks and the first industrial site ever added to the UNESCO World Heritage List (1994). Founded in 1873 by engineer Julius Buch, the ironworks produced pig iron from 1882 until 1986 and was, by the 1910s, Germany's largest producer of steel beams. Today the vast blast-furnace complex is a museum and cultural venue, hosting exhibitions, festivals and concerts, and has drawn more than 4.5 million visitors since 1999.

Völklingen is on the rail line and road network between Saarbrücken and Saarlouis, with the Völklinger Hütte site close to the train station.

The town centre and the Völklinger Hütte site are both walkable from the station.

The Völklinger Hütte UNESCO World Heritage ironworks — the blast furnaces, ore yard, and power hall of the former ironworks — is the town's principal sight and one of Saarland's major visitor attractions.

Guided and self-guided tours of the Völklinger Hütte complex are the main visitor activity; the site also hosts temporary exhibitions and events.

• Berlin — Germany's capital city, reachable by regional train
• Nearby towns in Saarland — explore the surrounding region