On the border of Gelsenkirchen and Herten lies the site of the former Zeche Westerholt – once a bustling hub of Germany’s coal industry. Opened in 1900 by the Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-AG, the mine quickly grew into one of the larger complexes in the Ruhrgebiet. With several shafts, including the main Shaft 1/2, it produced high-quality anthracite and coking coal for decades. By the 1960s, thousands of miners worked here under harsh conditions deep underground.

Technically advanced for its time, the facility was regularly modernized to meet industrial demands. Still, Zeche Westerholt could not escape the gradual phase-out of coal mining in Germany. In 2008, the mine was officially closed, and over time, much of the site fell into decay.

Yet not all was lost. Some iconic structures, such as the historic machine hall and towering headframes, still stand today silent witnesses to an industrial past.