Schleuse Blankenstein, Schleuse an der Ruhr
Schleuse Blankenstein is a lock on the Ruhr River built around 1776 in Bochum-Stiepel, constructed from heavy grey stone that shows its age clearly. The structure measures about 45 meters long and 6 meters wide, designed to help ships change their level by approximately 4 meters.
This lock was built around 1776 as part of a system to improve travel on the Ruhr River and received strengthened stone walls in 1822. By the 1800s it was vital infrastructure, with over 300 ships passing through annually before river shipping declined toward the century's end.
The name reflects its function as a water passage for boats moving between different river levels. Visitors can observe how the structure and waterway together represent a time when river transport was central to daily work and survival.
Access to the lock is from Brockhauser Straße in Bochum-Stiepel via quiet walking paths along the canal. The site is free to visit year-round and lies along the Route of Industrial Culture, though visiting during drier months offers better conditions for walking and exploring.
After rainfall, the old lock chamber still fills with water and appears almost alive from a distance, even though it has long been inactive. This continues to demonstrate how robust and well-engineered the original construction was.
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