Halbach Hammer

Originally located in Weidenbau on the River Sieg, the monument now stands in the western section of the Waldpark. Margarethe Krupp had the park laid out as a permanent feature in connection with the construction of Margarethenhöhe and donated it to the City of Essen as a “promenade gift” for local recreation. First documented in Siegerland around 1417, the site ceased operations around 1900 after nearly 500 years in use.

Already dismantled for a planned but ultimately unrealised industrial exhibition, the monument was acquired by Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach in 1914. He arranged for the hammer to be transported to Essen and had it reassembled in working order in Nachtigallental in 1935/36, within sight of Margarethenhöhe. From a technical perspective, the Halbachhammer represents a “hammer mill”, combining related smelting and forging processes under one roof. Today, the Ruhr Museum presents the heavy tilt hammer in regular live demonstrations. The Halbachhammer branch is closed during the winter months.