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Gelsenkirchen Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population as of 31 December 2002 was 274,926. Gelsenkirchen was first documented in 1150, but it remained a tiny village until the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution led to the growth of the entire area. In 1840, when the mining of coal began, 6000 inhabitants lived in Gelsenkirchen; in 1900 the population had increased to 138,000. In the early 20th century Gelsenkirchen was the most important coalmining town in Europe. It was called the "city of a thousand fires", for all its smoking stacks. 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. During the Nazi era Gelsenkirchen remained a centre of coal production and oil refining, and for this reason it was bombed by Allied air raids in World War II. Today in Gelsenkirchen there are no collieries any more and Gelsenkirchen is searching for a new image. Today Germany's largest solar power plant is located in the city. Gelsenkirchen is home of the football club FC Schalke 04. Schalke's home ground, Arena AufSchalke, is generally regarded as one of the most innovative stadiums built in recent years. External links ja
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