C-Mine, Cultural and recreation center in Genk, Belgium
C-Mine is a recreation area with converted buildings from a former coal mine in eastern Belgium. The site preserves two distinctive shaft towers and underground tunnels that visitors can explore.
The Winterslag coal mine went into production in 1917, the first of the Kempen basin mines. It closed on 31 March 1988, and the site was protected as heritage in 1993. The city of Genk bought the complex from the Limburgse Reconversiemaatschappij in 2001, and the name C-Mine, with C for creativity, was chosen through a competition in 2005.
The site hosts creative spaces where artists and design students work and display their projects. Today it serves as a gathering place for people interested in contemporary forms of art.
The site is accessible daily, but individual attractions have varying opening hours and may require admission fees. For guided tours through the tunnel systems, it is best to check in advance since spaces can be limited.
Visitors can take an elevator down into the former shaft installation and discover the underground areas via walkways from there. This access to the depths is an unusual experience that few visitors fully take advantage of.
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