Zeche Zweckel, Coal mine in Gladbeck, Germany.
Zeche Zweckel is a former coal mine in Gladbeck distinguished by a prominent machine hall with a triangular gable roof extending 126 meters and featuring art nouveau details. Additional industrial buildings on the site preserve the technical infrastructure and spatial layout of a working mining operation.
The Prussian state started shaft construction in 1908 and began coal extraction in 1911. The operation expanded significantly over decades before production ceased during the second half of the 20th century.
The site now hosts art performances and exhibitions within its historic industrial spaces. Visitors experience how former workplaces have become venues where contemporary creative projects come to life.
The site is accessible for guided tours that show visitors the machinery and structures of the former operation. Wear sturdy shoes since the ground is uneven and some buildings have steep stairs and narrow passages.
While mining, workers discovered a warm salt spring beneath the pit, leading to the creation of a public bathhouse. This bathhouse was an unusual byproduct of mining activity and served visitors until 1950.
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