Published on: 09/06/2026
Press Release 67/2026
International award for cultural impact and tourist significance: Völklinger Hütte receives MERIAN ICON Award
The Saarland state government congratulates the Völklingen Ironworks, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on receiving the MERIAN ICON Award 2026. With this prize, awarded for the first time by the renowned German travel magazine MERIAN, the Völklingen Ironworks is recognized as an outstanding international cultural and tourism destination.
Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger:
“The Völklingen Ironworks impressively demonstrates how industrial heritage can develop into a cultural beacon of global significance. It has not only become an international flagship of the Saarland but also a place that unites different worlds. The award of the MERIAN ICON Award is a wonderful and special recognition for the Völklingen Ironworks and for all those who shape this extraordinary place with creativity and passion. We can be very proud of this in the Saarland.”
With the MERIAN Awards being presented for the first time, the renowned German travel magazine honors outstanding destinations and institutions in tourism, hospitality, and culture in seven categories. The jury, consisting of experienced travel journalists, especially praised the exceptional combination of industrial heritage, contemporary art, memorial culture, and nature experience in a globally unique location. In their justification, they stated, among other things, that the Völklinger Hütte is "memorial culture in the very best and progressive sense – and a unique experience."
Minister of Education and Culture Christine Streichert-Clivot:
“The Völklingen Ironworks is a special place that makes history, technology, and culture uniquely tangible. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, it connects industrial heritage with contemporary art, cultural education, and social memory. It creates spaces for encounters, dialogue, and new perspectives – far beyond the Saarland region. The MERIAN ICON Award is therefore also recognition of the outstanding cultural and educational work being done there. For that, I sincerely thank Ralf Beil and his team.”
The award also underscores the great touristic significance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for Saarland. The Völklingen Ironworks is one of the most important touristic highlights of the region and attracts visitors from all over the world with its unique combination of industrial culture, international exhibitions, festivals, and events.
Economy Minister Jürgen Barke:
“The Völklinger Hütte has become an international ambassador for Saarland. The MERIAN ICON Award recognizes its tremendous appeal and outstanding importance for tourism. As a genuine magnet for visitors from around the world as well as for Saarlanders, the Völklinger Hütte plays a key role in making Saarland visible as an attractive location with a high quality of life.”
