Lange Riege, Workers settlement in Hagen, Germany.
Lange Riege is a workers settlement in Hagen consisting of eight one-room houses built wall-to-wall in Bergisch half-timbered style, with stables positioned at the rear. The buildings were constructed along the Selbecker Bach and exemplify the typical form where living quarters and production spaces are closely integrated.
The settlement was built between 1665 and 1666 by the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm zu Brandenburg to house blade smiths recruited from Solingen. This initiative marked the start of metal processing in the region and laid the foundation for an industry that defined Hagen for centuries.
The settlement served as a center for blade production, where grinding workshops, steel hammers, and hardening facilities operated side by side. These craft workshops created a complete production system that shaped the local economy for generations.
The settlement is located at Riegestrasse 6-18 and can be viewed from the exterior throughout the year without any entrance fee. The best way to understand the architecture and layout is to walk slowly along the row of houses and the stream flowing behind them.
This is the oldest workers settlement in Westphalia and has maintained its original building structure across three centuries. The fact that all eight houses still stand in their original form makes them a rare record of craft life from the 17th century.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
