Kupferhammer, Industrial heritage monument in Kupferdreh district, Essen, Germany
The Kupferhammer is a historic factory complex in the Kupferdreh district with a hammer mill, residential quarters, and various supporting structures stretched along the Deilbach stream. The overall layout shows how an early industrial production site was built and operated.
The facility was founded in 1550 when Hans Frolynck established a copper smelter, establishing Essen as a metal processing center. Over the centuries, the operation grew into a modern hammer mill that went through various production methods.
The name refers to copper processing, which shaped life along the Deilbach stream for centuries. Visitors can still see how the buildings were positioned to make best use of the water's force.
The site can be explored on foot and is best viewed during daylight to see the details of the buildings and stream. Sturdy shoes are recommended since the ground is uneven and the terrain slopes toward the water.
The mill was among the first in the region to put into practice the shift from water power to steam engines, using both drive systems in parallel. This combination of two energy sources made the operation more flexible and demonstrated the transition between two industrial eras.
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