Zeche Zollverein Essen: The Pride of Germany
Zeche Zollverein is a Coal Mine Industrial Complex in the city of Essen. It is a big industrial site which is no longer operational. It is situated in the Essen city of North-Rhine-Westphalia state in Germany. It is often cited as the most beautiful coal mine in the world. The reason behind this is the marvelous architectural style of the structure. The coal mines founded in 1957 called ‘Zollverein Coal Mine’ and ‘Zollverein Coking Plant’ is one of the largest coal mines in the European continent. The first coal mine was operational for an extended period of 135 years, starting from 1851 and lasting up to the end of 1986. Zeche Zollverein made to the UNESCO list of the ‘World Heritage Sites’ in the year 2001.
Location
It is located in the Essen city of North- Rhine- Westphalia state in Germany.
Weather
Owing to a temperate oceanic climate, Essen has a relatively mild weather all year round. It has mild winters and cooler summers. The are July and August are the warmest months of the year and the coldest months are January and February. In summers the temperature may rise to 36 degrees Celsius and in winters the temperature may drop to as low as -24 degrees Celsius. The average temperature is approximately around 10°C.
History
Franz Haniel, a German industrialist, was the founder of the Zollverein Coal Mine. He named the coal mines after the German Customs Union. Haniel needed the coal primarily for the production of coke, which was later to be used in steel production. Several shafts were built on the site to mine coal. The coal mines remained under the individual control of the Haniel family until the year of 1920. In the year 1920, the Haniel family started cooperating with another mining company called Phönix AG and this company gradually took over the management of the coal mines. Older Shafts were modernised during this span, and the shaft 11 was constructed. The Zollverein coal mines were further taken over by GBAG company in the year 1926, and it shut down the older coking plants. Shaft 12 was built under GBAG, and it has earned an eminent status worldwide owing to the Doppelbock Winding Tower. The Doppelbock Winding Tower became the symbol of the heavy industries of Germany. The 12th shaft was designed by ‘Fritz Schupp’ and Martin Kremmer’ and was built using RCC and steel. It was built as a cubical building design. The operations of the 12th shaft were closed in the year 1986.
The Doppelbock winding tower has become the symbol of the Essen city. The shafts 2 and 12 are presently used for water drainage in the area. The state of North-Rhine-Westphalia took over the coal mines in the year 1986. In the same year, the 12th shaft was declared as the Heritage site. The Zollverein Coking Plant was operational till 1993, and it too was declared as a Heritage site by the state in 2000.
In the year 2001, the UNESCO listed the 12th shaft, 1/2 shaft and the Zollverein Coking Plant as the World Heritage Site.
Traveling in the city
The best part about visiting the city is that one gets enthralled by beautiful co-existence of the heavy industries and the picturesque lush green areas. Essen is also one of the largest urban centers in Europe. Essen is home to some of the best historical monuments like the Ruhr Museum, Villa Hügel, Folkwang Museum, Essener Münster Cathedral and the Synagogue and Jewish Museum.The city has been the witness to both World War 1 and World War 2. Essen was named as the cultural capital of Europe in the year 2010.
Why visit?
One can enjoy walks in the greenery and tour the heavy industries in the area. The beautiful Cathedrals and Museums are another reason to visit the city of Essen. The most fantastic feature is the ‘Zollverein coal mines’ and the‘shaft 12’ having the iconic Doppelbock Winding Tower. The Zollverein Coking Plant, the 12th shaft, and the 1/2 shaft are listed as the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and thus are a must visit.
A city is an amalgamation of art, culture, and history with amazingly friendly locals which makes it an interesting place to visit. The city offers a varied range of accommodation and eating facilities which fits every type of budget- from moderate to splurging. The city has something to offer to every age group from the young and old.
Major Attractions
Ruhr Museum: It is the oldest museum in Ruhr area with more than a century old history. It has collections of photography, geology, and archaeology.
Folkwang Museum: Established in the year 1922, the Folkwang Museum has the art of the Essen city from 19th and 20th century. It emerged as a result of coming together of two older museums Essener Kunstmuseum and Folkwang Museum which was a private museum of Karl Ernst Osthaus. It has around 340,000 posters from the economy, culture, and politics.
Villa Hügel: It is a mansion which belonged to the industrialist Alfred Krupp. It was built as a residence by Alfred Krupp in the year 1873. It is now the property of the Essen city. In the past times, several high-end brands like Dior conducted fashion shows in the mansion.
Aalto Theater: Established in the year 1988, it is an opera house and one of the major venues for the performance of arts in the city of Essen. The Aalto Theater is designed by Alvar Aalto, who was an architect from Finland. The auditorium has a striking feature of an asymmetrical design. The indigo color of the seating area is another inviting feature.
EssenerMünster Cathedral: Situated in the center of Essen, the Cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the two saints-Cosmas and Damian. It is home to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Essen. Its treasury has the oldest sculpture of Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus of the Alps, called as Golden Madonna.
Kettwig Historical District: This historical district is famous for its 17th and 18th-century streets and buildings. A must visit to enjoy the old world charm.
Synagogue and Jewish Museum: This is a memorial and cultural center. It is the most appealing architectural structure of the Jewish culture. It is very well preserved.
The old town of Werden: This town boasts of the history as old as of the 8th century. It has Baroque interior which houses the bronze crucifix as old as of 1080 and a 900 A.D. chalice belonging to St. Ludger.
Lake Baldeneysee: It is the largest lake of the Essen city. It is a man- made marvel. It is a hub for watersports like canoeing and kayaking. One can also enjoy a boat ride on this picturesque lake.
Botanical gardenGrugapark: It is owned by the municipal authorities of Essen city. It features greenhouses, a bonsai garden, a beautiful pond and various variety of the flora.
What else is around?
- Ludgerus Basilica
- International Christmas Market
- Red Dot Design Museum
- Domschatzkammer
So what are you waiting for? Plan a visit to this fantastic place with your family and friends and make the most of your quality time. This is one place which you should definitely visit!