World Heritage Photos - Völklingen Ironworks

The Völklingen Ironworks are located in Völklingen, a German town situated about 14 km from Saarbrücken and not far from the border of France. In Germany, the site is known as: Völklinger Hütte. The Völklingen Ironworks once housed the largest sintering plant in the world. Nowadays, they are the only fully preserved ironworks from the 19th and 20th centuries. The large blower hall is the heart of the ironworks, where huge gas blowers generated an enormous volume of compressed air for the blast furnaces. These machines, driven by blast-furnace gas, are unique in the world. During the Second World War, thousands of men and women, particularly from Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Russia and the Netherlands, were forced to work at the Völklingen Ironworks under appalling conditions; most of these workers were victims of forced labour. The Völklingen Ironworks were closed down in 1986. Just like the Zeche Zollverein, the Völklingen Ironworks serve now as a location for art exhibitions and events. The town of Völklingen is located about 79 km south of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Trier, about 125 km southeast of Luxembourg, and about 125 km northeast of Nancy. The Völklingen Ironworks were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. World Heritage Art: Völklingen Ironworks and Völklinger Hütte

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Völklingen Ironworks - The Völklingen Ironworks were once among the largest sintering plants in the world. Now, they are the only fully...

The Völklingen Ironworks were once among the largest sintering plants in the world. Now, they are the only fully preserved ironworks from the 19th and 20th centuries. The huge Völklingen Ironworks complex is located in the German town of Völklingen, on the banks of the River Saar, about ten kilometres west of Saarbrücken. The Völklingen Ironworks were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The Völklingen Ironworks were once among the largest sintering plants in the world. Now, they are the only fully preserved ironworks from the 19th and 20th centuries. The huge Völklingen Ironworks complex is located in the German town of Völklingen, on the banks of the River Saar, about ten kilometres west of Saarbrücken. The Völklingen Ironworks were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Völklingen Ironworks: The monorail cars ran along the top platform, situated 28 metres above ground level. These monorail cars filled the six blast furnaces with raw materials. The iron ore came from Lorraine, but during The First and Second World Wars, it was sourced from neutral Sweden. These imports from Sweden were vital for the German war industry.
Völklingen Ironworks: These coal silos date from 1897. These enormous steel silos are among the oldest structures still preserved at the Völklingen Ironworks. At the end of the 19th century, these ironworks became the largest producer of steel beams in Germany. During the Second World War, production was switched to war materials, such as gun barrels and shells.
Völklingen Ironworks: This is a detail of one of the huge blast furnaces. The gas blowers of the Völklingen Ironworks were the first gas blowers in the world to be powered by blast-furnace gas. The gas blowers supplied the blast furnaces with combustion air to increase their temperature. In Germany, the Völklingen Ironworks are known as the Völklinger Hütte.
Völklingen Ironworks: The construction of the sintering plant was completed in 1928. For a long time, it was one of the most modern sintering plants in Europe and one of the largest of its time. In the sintering plant, raw materials were prepared for use in the blast furnaces. The Völklingen Ironworks were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Völklingen Ironworks: Each furnace has iron and slag tapholes. At the taphole level, the molten pig iron and slag were tapped from the blast furnaces. The slag is a glass-like by-product of the smelting process. The first blast furnace was commissioned in 1883. Between 1885 and 1893, four more blast furnaces were built. The final blast furnace was completed in 1903.
After the Völklingen Ironworks had been closed down in 1986, they were declared a protected industrial and historic monument. They are the only fully preserved ironworks from the peak of industrialisation in the world. Nowadays, the Völklingen Ironworks are still a fascinating world of iron and steel. Guided tours are available, but it is also possible to explore these ironworks on your own.
Völklingen Ironworks: The blower hall (known as the Gebläsehalle) is the heart of the Völklingen Ironworks. Within this vast space, the gigantic gas blowers generated an enormous volume of compressed air for the blast furnaces. The machines were powered by blast-furnace gas and were unique in the world. Nowadays, the Völklingen Ironworks serve as a space for exhibitions and events.
Völklingen Ironworks: The Water Tower was built between 1917 and 1919; it is considered one of the first manifestations of modern industrial architectural design. At 45 metres above ground level, the blast furnace observation platform offers breathtaking views over the huge Völklingen Ironworks complex and its surroundings. In 1994, the Völklingen Ironworks were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Völklingen Ironworks: This huge burden shed was built between 1911 and 1913, and was once used to store raw materials. It is one of the first large reinforced concrete buildings of its kind, covering an area of 1,000 square metres. Nowadays, it serves as a space for art exhibitions. The German town of Völklingen is located about 79 km south of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Trier.
Völklingen Ironworks: During the Second World War, more than 12,000 men and women from Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Russia, France and the Netherlands were forced to work at the Völklingen Ironworks; most of them were victims of forced labour. They worked under appalling conditions. After the war, the owners of the Völklingen Ironworks were convicted of war crimes and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.
After the Second World War, the Völklingen Ironworks were confiscated by the French. In 1956, the ironworks were returned to their former owners. By 1965, the ironworks employed more than 17,000 men and women; this was the highest number ever recorded in the history of the ironworks. However, in 1986, the Völklingen Ironworks were closed down and many people lost their jobs. Today, the Völklingen Ironworks are a tourist attraction.