Zeche Bonifacius, Architectural heritage mine in Essen, Germany.
Zeche Bonifacius is a coal mine in Essen with neo-Gothic buildings arranged in a square around a central open space, containing administrative structures, washing facilities, and two distinctive hoist halls equipped with industrial machinery. The layout preserves the full scope of what mining operations required in the 19th century.
The mine began construction in 1857 with the addition of two distinctive Malakow towers that became its trademark. In 1899, a major company took control and upgraded the facility with new equipment to increase production.
The former wages office has been converted into a hotel and event space called 'Alte Lohnhalle', showing how industrial work buildings can serve modern visitors. This repurposing keeps the mining past alive while creating new reasons for people to experience the site today.
The site is located at Rotthauser Straße 46a in Essen, where the square layout allows visitors to walk around and view the buildings from multiple angles. The preserved structures can be explored on foot as a group, making it easy to grasp the full extent of mining operations.
Instead of the typical long narrow layout of mining sites, this one arranges all buildings in a square formation around open ground. This unusual design helps visitors quickly understand how different parts of the operation worked together as one coordinated system.
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