As part of the cultural capital RUHR.2010, the artist Nils-Udo created the Burgenland, which consists of 15 green, between one, two and three meter high mounds. Strollers can experience the ensemble along an axis between Schloss Herten and the Landschaftspark Hoheward. The axis connects temporally and spatially the baroque palace with the industrial landscape in the south of the city.
The transformation of the landscape through industrialization can be seen on the green hills, since the previous natural landscape was changed with human intervention. On eight out of fifteen hills, Nils-Udo has installed typical Corten steel collieries. The superstructures steadily decrease in the direction of the Emscher break, so that more and more empty hills can be seen in the former mining site. The models of the now self-proclaimed coal mines represent Hertens' 130-year mining tradition.
Corten steel has the property of rusting very quickly only on the surface, so that shortly after its installation, the miniature buildings have become symbols of transience. Among other things, the building ensembles consist of Förder- und Malakowturm. Also a shed roof hall belongs to it.
The artist, known as Nils-Udo, began his career as a painter. After ten years, working with nature became the focus of his work. He is now one of the most prominent LandArt artists.
The project was funded by the Ecology Program Emscher-Lippe with funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the EU.