BASIC PRESS RELEASE
January 2017
UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein (abridged version)
“The most beautiful coal mine in the world”: landmark of the Ruhr area, monument of industrial
culture and symbol for the change of the largest coal mine in Europe into an attractive culture and
business centre
On 14 December 2001, the Zollverein Coal Mine and Coking Plant in Essen was officially inscribed on the
UNESCO World Heritage List as “Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex”. The completely preserved
facilities represent the social, economic, aesthetic, and industrial history of the coal and steel age in an
exemplary way. Today, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein is the biggest tourist attraction in the
region and symbol for the successful change of an industrial area into an attractive culture, leisure and
business location.
Worth seeing: Denkmalpfad ZOLLVEREIN®, Ruhr Museum, art, culture, and events
About 1.5 million guests (2011–2016) visit the Zollverein World Heritage Site every year to join a guided
tour of the Denkmalpfad ZOLLVEREIN®, the above-ground facilities of the coal mine and coking plant
preserved in their original condition, visit the Ruhr Museum or enjoy the varied art and cultural events
offered every day. The ZOLLVEREIN® Concerts series impresses with top-class music events in historic
industrial spaces. Additionally, the great variety of possible leisure activities – e.g. Zollverein Park, the
works swimming pool and the ZOLLVEREIN® ice rink – attract visitors and local residents to the World
Heritage Site.
In 2017, the City of Essen is “The European Green Capital”. This award is celebrated with activities
and events all year round. The main venues are the Zollverein World Heritage Site, the Baldeneysee
and the Gruga Park. A varied supporting programme offering guided tours and events at Zollverein is
planned.
Furthermore, the Zollverein World Heritage Site has been repeatedly awarded as Germany’s best event
location. On the 100-hectare site, more than 40 rooms and buildings, ranging from small studio
equipped with conference technology to large trade fair and exhibition hall, are available. The broad
spectrum of all providers impresses with flexible solutions for very different events such as congresses,
meetings, company events, product presentations or private celebrations. In January 2017, a new event
location with a fascinating industrial-cultural ambience was added with the newly opened Grand Hall
ZOLLVEREIN®. The venue in the former Extractor and Compressor Hall at the Coking Plant is an
ultramodern special event location with an event area of 4,000 square metres and a capacity for up to
2,500 people.
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Delia Bösch / Head of Communications and Marketing / Press Officer
Phone +49 201-246 81-120 / Fax +49 201-246 81-133 / [email protected]
Stiftung Zollverein / Bullmannaue 11 / 45327 Essen / [email protected] / www.zollverein.de
Management Board: Hermann Marth (Chairman) / Jolanta Nölle / Chairman of the Foundation Council: Dr. Werner Müller
Competent supervisory authority: Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf / Reg.-Nr. 21.13 - St. 761
Industrial history of superlatives
German industrial and economic history was made at Zollverein: the coal mine with its mainly
automated workflows was regarded as the largest and most efficient one in the world. Between 1847
and 1986, a total of 240 million tons of coal was extracted, up to 8,000 miners worked in shifts above and
below ground. Fritz Schupp (1896–1974) and Martin Kremmer (1894–1945) had been commissioned with
the design of the coal mine complex. A completely streamlined mining facility should be implemented at
the new Zollverein Shaft XII. From the beginning, the result was regarded as a technical and aesthetic
masterpiece of modernism. The Zollverein Coking Plant was built in the same style west of Shaft XII
between 1957 and 1961 and taken into operation on 12 September 1961. It was active until 1993.
Conservation through conversion
The Zollverein Coal Mine was closed down on 23 December 1986 as the last of 291 collieries in Essen,
once the largest mining city in Europe. Already on 16 December 1986, the unique ensemble of mining
architecture was put under a preservation order and the refurbishment of the facilities was commenced
in the following year. The preservation of Zollverein was part of the International Building Exhibition
(IBA) Emscher Park, a ten-year future programme (1989–1999) by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In 1997, Design Zentrum NRW already moved into the former boiler house, which had been converted by
British architect Norman Foster.
The declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 was the starting signal for the further
development of the overall site: in 2001/2002, architect Rem Koolhaas and his Rotterdam-based Office
for Metropolitan Architecture developed the master plan for the conversion of the industrial area into a
lively culture and business location. The conversion and expansion of the Coal Washery into the
RUHR.VISITORCENTER Essen and exhibition area for the Ruhr Museum as well as the construction of
the new SANAA Building were implemented as first measures until 2010. In the same year, about
100,000 guests celebrated the opening of the European Capital of Culture Year RUHR.2010 at the
Zollverein World Heritage Site.
Structural change as an opportunity
Today, Zollverein stands for the Ruhr area’s identity-generating culture of remembering and
simultaneously for a future-oriented location development. The Red Dot Design Museum, the
Performing Arts Choreographische Zentrum NRW (PACT) and artists’ studios as well as almost 40
young enterprises now occupy the former industrial buildings. The development potential is unbridled:
until summer 2017, the new building for the Design Department of Folkwang University of the Arts will
be implemented on the former materials stockyard at Shaft 1/2/8. Furthermore, a new hotel will be
ready for occupation by the end of 2017.
Since May 2016, the new administrative headquarters of RAG Foundation and RAG AG has been under
construction on the coking plant grounds. RAG Montan Immobilien GmbH, a subsidiary of RAG, already
moved into its offices premises at the former coking plant in 2012 – the initial impulse for the
development of the area into a sustainable business location on the basis of the master plan by Rem
Koolhaas. Between the conflicting poles of existing structures and fresh ideas, the unique industrial
page 2 of 3
Delia Bösch / Head of Communications and Marketing / Press Officer
Phone +49 201-246 81-120 / Fax +49 201-246 81-133 / [email protected]
Stiftung Zollverein / Bullmannaue 11 / 45327 Essen / [email protected] / www.zollverein.de
Management Board: Hermann Marth (Chairman) / Jolanta Nölle / Chairman of the Foundation Council: Dr. Werner Müller
Competent supervisory authority: Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf / Reg.-Nr. 21.13 - St. 761
architecture is preserved and simultaneously adapted to the varied requirements of the creative
industry: six new tenants, for example, moved into the thoroughly refurbished comb building at the
Coking Plant in 2016.
Zollverein Foundation
Zollverein Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was established in November 1998 by the City of Essen
and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, whereas Landschaftsverband Rheinland is a donor. The purpose
and objectives of the foundation are the preservation of the World Heritage, the promotion of culture as
well as the development of Zollverein as an international culture and business location.
Highlights at the Zollverein World Heritage Site in 2017 (selection)
until 26.02.2017
until 28.02.2017
until 31.03.2017
03.04.–31.10.2017
06.-21.05.2017
12.–14.05.2017
21.05.2017
21.05.–27.08.2017
04.06.2017
24.06.2017
04.07.–06.08.2017
15.7.–03.09.2017
July–August 2017
24.–27.08.2017
until 03.09.2017
04.–08.10.2017
09.09.2017
10.9.2017
23.–24.09.2017
03.10.2017
27.–29.10.2017
09.12.2017–
07.01.2018
“Der Blick der Sachlichkeit. Zeche Zollverein im Spiegel der Fotografie”,
exhibition
“Rock and Pop in the Ruhr area”, exhibition
”Zollverein im Wandel. Von der größten Zeche der Welt zum Welterbe der
Menschheit”, exhibition
“The shared heaven. Reformation and religious diversity along the Rhine
and Ruhr”, exhibition
“World’s Best Communication Design”, exhibition
contemporary art ruhr (C.A.R.) 2017, media art fair & photo special
International Museum Day
“Green in the City of Essen. More than parks and gardens”, exhibition on
The European Green Capital – Essen 2017
UNESCO World Heritage Day 2017
ExtraSchicht. The Night of Industrial Culture
“Design on Stage”, special exhibition on the Red Dot Award 2017
Works swimming pool
ZOLLVEREIN® Holidays
Gourmet-Meile Ruhr Metropolis
“Excavated. Archaeology in the Ruhr Museum”, exhibition
lit.RUHR, International Literature Festival Ruhr
Welterbelauf ZOLLVEREIN® (World Heritage Run)
Day of the Open Monument
28. Großes Zechenfest (Great Coal Mine Festival)
Türöffnertag „Sendung mit der Maus“ (live show of “The Programme with
the Mouse”)
contemporary art ruhr (C.A.R.) 2017, the innovative art fair
ZOLLVEREIN® ice rink
Further information is available at: www.zollverein.de/service/english-page
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Delia Bösch / Head of Communications and Marketing / Press Officer
Phone +49 201-246 81-120 / Fax +49 201-246 81-133 / [email protected]
Stiftung Zollverein / Bullmannaue 11 / 45327 Essen / [email protected] / www.zollverein.de
Management Board: Hermann Marth (Chairman) / Jolanta Nölle / Chairman of the Foundation Council: Dr. Werner Müller
Competent supervisory authority: Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf / Reg.-Nr. 21.13 - St. 761