Maschinenhalle Zweckel, Gladbeck

About the Maschinenhalle Zweckel

The imposing Maschinenhalle (machinery hall) of the former Zweckel colliery in Gladbeck was built in 1909. Commissioned by the Royal Prussian State, the building reflects its aspiration to grandeur in its generous architectural design. The building served as the colliery’s control centre, housing compressors, generators, and converters to generate compressed air and electrical energy. The colliery buildings, along with the chimneys and cooling towers, that once defined the industrial landscape, have disappeared, further highlighting the castle-like appearance of the machinery hall. Only the steel winding frames from 1911/12, which rise above the hall, stand as a direct reminder of the mining era. The machine hall’s historical significance is still reflected in its prestigious interior design. Notably, the gallery’s design, with its sweeping staircases and wrought-iron railings, is particularly striking.