Maschinenfabrik, Industrial heritage site in Heilbronn, Germany

The Maschinenfabrik at Olgastrasse 45 in Heilbronn is a neo-Gothic brick building erected in 1904 to plans by Martin Keppeler for the Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Heilbronn, founded in 1854. Its former crane hall, which housed assembly and the boiler smithy, is built like a Brick Gothic church: a three-aisled basilica ground plan, clerestory triforium windows above large segmental-arch windows, and blind arches on the gable side.

The Maschinenfabrik was built in 1904 to plans by Martin Keppeler for the Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Heilbronn, founded in 1854 and known for locomotive construction. The crane hall housed assembly and the boiler smithy. Since 2020 the association Freies Kulturzentrum Maschinenfabrik Heilbronn e. V. has run a socio-cultural centre in the building.

Since 2020 the association "Freies Kulturzentrum Maschinenfabrik Heilbronn e. V." has run a socio-cultural centre in the building. The former crane hall, modelled on a three-aisled basilica, now hosts concerts, theatre and workshops; visitors can still read the church-like brick Gothic structure behind the new use.

The Maschinenfabrik stands at Olgastraße 45 in Heilbronn, and the Freies Kulturzentrum Maschinenfabrik Heilbronn e. V. has run it as a sociocultural centre since 2020. The former crane hall, once used for assembly and the boiler smithy, is laid out on the ground plan of a three-aisled basilica, so visitors move through a nave-like central space flanked by side aisles.

The crane hall was laid out as a three-aisled basilica, with clerestory triforium windows above the large segmental-arch windows and blind arches on the gable end. The building was designed in 1904 by Martin Keppeler for the Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Heilbronn, founded in 1854 and known for locomotive construction.