Halbachhammer, Historical hammer mill in Margarethenhöhe district, Essen, Germany.
Halbachhammer is an old forge and steelworks with timber-framed walls made from heavy wooden beams, built in the 15th century. The building used water flow to power machinery that drove hammers for shaping metal.
The structure was built in 1417 along the Sieg river in Weidenau and operated for five centuries. In the 1930s it was taken apart and moved to Essen, where it stands today.
The site shows how people once worked with iron using water power to drive their tools. Visitors can observe how craft skills and natural forces combined in daily work.
From April to October, demonstrations happen on the first Sunday of each month showing how the craft is practiced. Entry is free and sessions run several hours, so allow plenty of time for your visit.
After extensive restoration, the mill restarted operations in 2010 and ranks among very few working steelworks from pre-industrial times in all of Europe. Visitors can watch real metalworking processes that survive only in museums elsewhere.
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