Wipperkotten, Historic grinding workshop at Wupper River, Germany
Wipperkotten is a historic grinding workshop in Solingen set where a small stream divides two buildings. The outer structure displays working grindstones and water machinery, while the inner building reached by bridge houses a collection of regional metalworking tools and equipment.
The workshop was built around 1600 as one of roughly 26 grinding mills that once operated along the lower Wupper River. It is now the only surviving double mill of this type in the region and reflects Solingen's industrial past as a major blade-making center.
The name Wipperkotten refers to the grinding work that has defined this place for centuries, with craftsmen shaping blades and tools for daily use. Today you can observe how the outer workshop continues operating and preserves the craft skills that made Solingen known across Europe for metalware.
The workshop has limited opening hours and visiting by advance arrangement is recommended to see the craftspeople at work. Wear comfortable shoes as you will need to cross a bridge to reach the inner building and navigate uneven floors typical of older industrial spaces.
The workshop preserves its original water-powered machinery that still operates today, showing how nature powered the production of metal tools centuries ago. This direct link between the stream and the grinding stones explains why early industrial sites needed to be located on rivers.
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