Zeche Ewald, Industrial heritage site in Herten, Germany.
Zeche Ewald is a former hard coal mine in Herten, North Rhine-Westphalia, that displays architectural elements from three different construction periods, including a Malakow tower from 1888 and a double headframe from 1955. The site contains administration and operational buildings as well as two shafts with their characteristic winding towers, offering insight into the evolution of mining technology in the Ruhr region.
The mine was founded in 1871 by 21 shareholders, among them entrepreneur Ewald Hilger, who gave his name to the facility. Over the following decades the site grew into one of the most productive mines in the Ruhr region and employed up to 4000 miners at its peak.
The name honors Ewald Hilger, one of the entrepreneurs who founded the mine in 1871 as part of a group of 21 shareholders. Today the preserved buildings and winding equipment remind visitors of the Ruhr region's long coal mining tradition and attract those interested in exploring industrial heritage.
The former wages and lamp room building now houses the Hoheward RVR Visitor Center, which presents an interactive exhibition about energy, seasons, planets, and the horizon observatory. Access is available through marked paths that make the site accessible and provide orientation between the different buildings and winding towers.
In 1986 the 40-meter-high (131 feet) headframe over Shaft 2 underwent rotation to improve materials handling. This technical adjustment meant the sheave was pulled from the south direction, which increased the efficiency of hoisting operations.
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