Wattenscheid is a Stadtbezirk located within the German city of Bochum, situated in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. While it currently functions as a district, Wattenscheid was an independent town until its incorporation into Bochum in 1975.
The settlement has a long history dating back to its first recorded mention in 880. During the Middle Ages, Wattenscheid was a member of the Hanseatic League. With the onset of industrialization in the Ruhr region, it became a prominent coal mining center, though the last local coal mine eventually closed in 1973.