Zuckerfabrik Oldisleben, Sugar refinery in Oldisleben, Germany.
Zuckerfabrik Oldisleben is an industrial facility with exterior walls made of shell limestone and red sandstone, featuring wooden beam construction supported by cast iron columns on the ground floor. The entire structure demonstrates late 19th-century building methods and retains its original technical equipment throughout.
The factory was established in 1872 and initially processed hundreds of tons of sugar beets daily using machinery from Röhrig & König. It remained in continuous operation throughout its entire working life until December 1990.
The industrial monument maintains its original steam engines, with the oldest operating for 108 production campaigns, demonstrating nineteenth-century engineering practices.
Visits are possible from April through October with guided tours led by knowledgeable guides who explain the industrial history and machinery. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes as the tour includes uneven floors and stairs.
The site preserves Europe's last remaining diffusion battery from 1906, equipment that was once standard in every sugar beet factory. This relic demonstrates how sugar extraction worked before modern processes and why it was eventually replaced by more efficient methods.
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