Pumpwerk Schwelgern, Wasserbauwerk im Duisburger Ortsteil Marxloh-Schwelgern
Pumpwerk Schwelgern is a pump station and architectural monument in Duisburg, built in 1927 to move water over the Rhine dike. The building displays clear geometric shapes, covered in distinctive orange brick with long horizontal window bands that emphasize its straightforward design.
After the 1920 flood and the construction of a dam on the Rhine, a pump station became necessary to move water over the new barrier. The building was designed by architect Alfred Fischer and has been protected as a historical monument since 1999.
The name Schwelgernbruch refers to the marshy wetland that once required constant water management to make habitable. Visitors today can walk through the adjacent park and understand how engineering shaped both the landscape and daily life in the area.
The site is accessible via the Route of Industrial Culture, which connects historic industrial sites across the region. The adjacent Schwelgernpark provides an open space where visitors can explore the surroundings and gain context about the pump station's role.
A smaller secondary pump building was added in 1981 to handle water drainage during drier seasons when the main pump was not needed at full capacity. This addition reveals how the facility was modified over decades to adapt to changing conditions.
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