Visit Zollverein Coal Mine

When you think of coal mines, the world ‘beautiful’ is not normally the first thing that comes to mind.

They’re supposed to be dirty and black, messy and industrial, a blight on the landscape.

So why, when people talk about the Zollverein Coal Mine near Essen, do people applaud its aesthetics?

The first thing – and the most obvious thing – is the architecture above ground.

While the dark and dirty tunnels underground are out of sight for the general public, the buildings on the surface can be seen by anyone passing through this part of the city of Essen.

The owners of Zollverein were conscious of this and so they had the external buildings designed in the Bauhaus style of architecture, with a pleasant modern feel that had appealing symmetry and blended in with the natural backgrounds.

But even beyond the architecture, it’s what the site’s custodians have done with it over the generations that have added to its beauty.

After Zollverein Coal Mine was closed in 1986, it was transformed into a large cultural and recreation complex. Amongst the gorgeous landscaping, there are art installations and regular events that used the Bauhaus buildings as a backdrop.

Visiting Zollverein today, there are so many things to do, from exploring the industrial heritage to visiting the museums that are housed in some of its buildings.

The open spaces and the art pieces offer endless exploration, while there are also regular events and seasonal activities.

Although I came to Zollverein Coal Mine because I was interested in its status as a World Heritage Site, I would recommend any tourist spend some time here because, although I know it’s a cliche, there really is something for everyone.

But at its heart, Zollverein is still one of Europe’s most important industrial sites, along with other German sites like Völklingen Ironworks or Rammelsberg Mine.

It’s a critical part of the story of modern Germany, so it’s worth understanding the background of what you’ll find here.

History of Zollverein Coal Mine

Looking from the outside, you wouldn’t realise the extent of the industry here.

Coal mining started at Zollverein in 1851 when the first shaft (imaginatively named… Shaft 1) was sunk. Over the next few decades, it grew, until it was one of the most productive coal mines in the Ruhr region by the turn of the century.

The 20th century saw further expansion and modernisation, although things slowed down during World War I, but it was in the 1930s that the most defining era for Zollverein began.

This was when the decision was made to add buildings that improved the aesthetics of the site. The most iconic was Shaft 12, designed by architects Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer in the Bauhaus style.

Shaft 12 wasn’t just beautiful, it was really efficient, and was able to produce about 12,000 tons of coal every day.

During World War II, it was a part of Germany’s war effort. But perhaps more crucially, the coal mine was then critical in the economic recovery after the conflict.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Zollverein was at the height of its productivity and was critical to the growth of Germany as a new economic power – and, indirectly, to the role of Europe in the world during the second half of the 20th century.

With pressure on the German coal industry from global changes, Zollverein Coal Mine declined from the 1970s and was finally closed in 1986.

Because of the expansion over the course of almost 150 years, there were a lot of buildings on the surface at this point. But an important decision about their future turned out to be one of the main reasons why the site is these days often described as ‘beautiful’.

Rather than demolish Zollverein, it was decided by authorities to take the approach of ‘preservation through conversion’.

Essentially, this means that they set about trying to find new uses for the structures. And the theme of those uses has been ‘art and design’.

Over the years, in the empty shadow of industry, culture rose up and brought light to Zollverein.

Artistry and modernity blossomed and now the buildings are used for world-class museums, design exhibitions, restaurants, theatre and even a recreational pool.

Visiting Zollverein today is a trip back to the days of the coking plant and the mining operations – but it’s also a step into the future of design and cultural trends.

Things to do at Zollverein Coal Mine

Across the different areas of the Zollverein Coal Mine complex, there are so many different things to see and do. To help you plan your visit, I’ll mention the main ones.

Ruhr Museum

A great place to start when you visit Zollverein Coal Mine is the Ruhr Museum, which is in the main visitor complex within Shaft XII.

Set within the shaft’s former coal washing plant, the museum has permanent exhibitions of more than 6000 items about the history of the region and the mining industry on the site.

The Ruhr Museum is also connected to an area called the Portal of Industrial Heritage, which is a multimedia presentation that focuses on the coal mining history, leading into a preserved part of Shaft XII, where you can walk past the huge machines and conveyer belts.

It’s a large and very well-curated museum that would appeal to adults and children. Especially combined with the industrial heritage, I think it’s a great introduction for everything else you will see here.

Guided tours

Although you’ll get a good impression of the main section of the coal mine just by walking through the exhibition, there’s much more to the site.

I think a guided tour is the best way to see it – not just because you’ll go to some areas that aren’t otherwise accessible, but because the guide will share so much information.

There’s quite a range of tours that are run in German, which may be of use to you. But unfortunately, you’re a bit limited with English tours. There are only two a week – at 12:30 on Saturday and Sunday.

I think it’s well worth it to see some of the original surface buildings of the coal mine, including the facilities that were used to handle the material being brought up from underground.

Shaft XII

The main buildings that remain across the Zollverein Coal Mine complex are grouped into three sections, and I want to tell you briefly about each of them, to help with your planning.

The most popular section is called Shaft XII. (Don’t ask me why it’s written in Roman numerals when the others aren’t.) This is where you’ll find the visitor centre, the Ruhr Museum, and the start of the guided tours.

You will most likely start your visit to Zollverein here at Shaft XII. It’s a good spot to pick up any brochures or maps and plan your time here if you haven’t already done so.

You’ll be able to see the buildings from the outside and some of the interiors for free. But the most interesting activities here, like the Portal of Industrial Heritage, have an entrance fee as I’ve already mentioned.

Shaft 1/2/8

The smallest of the three main sections is called Shaft 1/2/8 and it has some of the site’s oldest buildings.

There’s actually not a huge amount to see here, and none of the buildings have been converted into modern-use cultural spaces, like in other parts of Zollverein.

The heritage buildings here include an engine house, a building materials store, and a miners’ washroom.

Some of the guided tours come to this area, including the main English-language one, although it doesn’t tend to be a focus.

Coking Plant

By area, this is the largest of the three sections and I think it’s one of the most visually spectacular (even though the Bauhaus buildings of Shaft XII get most of the attention).

The large coking plant stretches out for hundreds of metres and has rusted pipes sticking out at regular intervals, creating reflections in the water below.

The English guided tours come here and there are some good viewpoints to get an overall perspective of the buildings, as well as seeing some of the industrial details. There’s also an information centre here if you are visiting without a tour.

Along with the heritage areas – including a salt store, comb building, and compressor hall – this is where you’ll find the swimming pool and ice skating rink.

Skating and swimming

Yes, you read that right! Zollverein Coal Mine has a seasonal ice skating rink and swimming pool, set right amongst the rusty metal jungle of the Coking Plant.

In summer, the refreshing pool is open, with wooden decking around it to sunbathe.

Admission to the swimming pool is free, and there’s food and drink available as well.

For about four weeks in winter, the ice skating rink stretches for about 150 metres along the side of the coking plant, with a special light installation after dark.

Although there is an entrance fee, it’s a really special experience if you happen to be in town at the right time.

Red Dot Design Museum

When it comes to the modern side of things at Zollverein, one of the highlights is the Red Dot Design Museum, which is not specifically related to the coal mining heritage (it is just housed in one of the buildings).

As the name suggests, the museum is dedicated to design and has a fantastic collection of items from around the world that demonstrate something special in their design.

What I find so interesting is that it’s not just items that you might normally associated with style. Sure, there are things like clothes and furniture, but the collection also includes things like boats and washing machines!

Art and nature

As I’ve mentioned, visiting Zollverein is about more than just the heritage, and I think discovering the art and nature of the site is one of the highlights.

When it comes to art, there is so much to see. There’s the Forest of Sculptures, with five stone artworks amongst birch trees; there’s the small Art Shaft with a collection of works in the old carpentry workshop of Shaft 1/2/8; and there are other workshops and pop-up installations all throughout the site.

When it comes to nature, you’ll find a network of walking and cycling trails through the 100-hectare area that takes you through the trees and landscaping that has miraculously grown in the industrial wasteland.

Specifically, you can pick up a map for the Nature Trail that leads you to interesting points within the ecosystem, including where particular birds and toads live, or where interesting flowers and fruit can be found.

Visiting Zollverein Coal Mine

There are several ways to approach a visit to Zollverein. You can go for the history, for the modern culture, or for a mixture.

I would suggest giving yourself about three hours to spend here. That’s enough time to see the main museums at Shaft XII, walk over and see the Coking Plant, and spend a bit of time exploring the grounds and some of the art.

If you can, I would definitely recommend trying to time your visit with the guided tours that happen at 12:30 on Saturday and Sunday, but that’s obviously not always going to be possible.

Regardless, have a look to see if there are any events taking place when you’re planning to visit Zollverein because there’s often something interesting going on.

The swimming pool and the ice rink are definitely unusual activities, so it’s well worth trying to factor them into your time here. Or you may prefer to rent bikes and just cycle around a bit.

All the parklands and exterior areas are free to visit, so you’ll only pay for the different museums or activities that you want to do. I do recommend going into at least one of the heritage areas, though.

A few other useful bits of visitor information:

• Dogs are allowed in the external parts of the Zollverein but not inside the buildings (assistance dogs exempted)
• The guided tours are not accessible for wheelchairs, but the Ruhr Museum and parklands are.
• Camping or staying overnight in motorhomes is not permitted anywhere on the site.
• Photography is allowed everywhere at Zollverein

As you can see, it does make sense to be a little prepared for your visit to Zollverein because there are lots of possible things to do. But if you are stuck, just pop into the visitor centre and ask for some advice.

For more information, see the official website of Zollverein.

Because you may be here for a while, it’s worth giving some consideration to food. One option is to bring a picnic with you and eat it in the parklands. But there are also lots of places on site.

• Die Kokerei: For a coffee or for lunch, this restaurant in the Coking Plant has regional classics, snacks, and cakes with an outdoor area in fine weather.
• Casino Zollverein: A high-end stylish restaurant in the former Compressor Hall that is so good that people from Essen come here just for the meal.
• Bistro Schacht XII: A casual eatery serving hearty meals and things like burgers and fries.
• The Mine: This trendy modern restaurant in the engine house of Shaft XII has Mediterranean-style food for lunch, and a brunch buffet on Sunday.
• Cafe Kohlenwäsche: A casual spot for coffee, cake and snacks, close to the swimming pool and ice skating rink.
• Cafe Zollverein: Although it’s more of a cafe than a restaurant, it’s got a cool retro design with vintage furniture.

Once you’re done visiting the Zollverein Coal Mine, you might want to take a tour of the whole of Essen in a double-decker bus. It takes you to different stops and allows you to explore what the city has to offer.

Time Travel Turtle was supported by DB Bahn, the German National Tourist Board and Youth Hostels in Germany but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.