Lighthouse for the Ruhr

Even when it was still in operation, the coal washing plant at the Zollverein colliery was the largest building in the entire colliery, measuring 90 meters long, 30 meters wide and 45 meters high. It was here that the raw coal was separated from the extracted rock and classified. After the colliery was closed down, the striking building was converted by the architects Rem Koolhaas and Heinrich Böll to comply with the requirements for the preservation of historical monuments. Today, visitors* reach the 24-meter level via an orange illuminated escalator, where the Zollverein International Visitor Center and a café are located. While the levels above are part of the Zollverein Monument Trail due to the large stock of preserved machinery and the Industrial Culture Portal is located on the 30-meter level, the floors below the visitor center are reserved for the exhibition rooms and depots of the Ruhr Museum.