CM Zollverein
Information
Discovered this site with Google Earth, it is a touristic center nowadays. It is a huge coal mine with several processing plants. It is very large, but it also attracts lots of tourists.
History
In 1845 the first dillings for coal were performed in this area. It was a succes and in 1848 the first shaft was constructed. In 1851 the company started.
In 1932 the buildings of shaft 12, the area we explored, were erected. In 1957 the modern cokes plant was build.
In the seventies the coal mine joint forces with a neighbouring coal mine. And in 1982 Zollverein took over exploration of the Nordstern coal mine.
In 1986 the coalmine was closed. The cokes plant remained in use untill 1993. A sale of the plant to China failed. Soon after that the foundation for preserving industrial heritage acted to preserve the site.
A new era began when in 1998 the foundation became the owner of the large site. It started renovation works and reconverted it into a toruistic center. In 2000 the site was declared to be a monument. In 2001 it got onto the list of Unesco world heritage.