Reminders of Germany's earliest industrial heritage:
documenting around 1,000 years of mining history, the Mines of
Rammelsberg on the outskirts of the beautiful old town of Goslar were
once the largest interconnected repositories of copper, lead and zinc
ore in the world. Energy for the mine was supplied by the Upper Harz
water management system, the world's foremost pre-industrial water
management system for the mining industry.
Producing almost 30 million tonnes of ore, the Rammelsberg
mines shaped the history and development of the town of Goslar in the Harz region;
they also led Emperor Heinrich II to establish an imperial palace here.
The first imperial assembly in Goslar took place in 1009 and the town
remained a royal seat for German kings and emperors until 1253. In 1988,
after more than 1,000 years of virtually non-stop mining, the ore
extraction was stopped. Today, it lives on in a museum of impressive
scale and authenticity. Not quite so big, but just as authentic is
Goslar's old town, whose enchanting skyline is dominated by the mighty
Romanesque palace and the towers of no fewer than 47 churches and
chapels. The preserved townscape is dominated by elegant guildhalls
reflecting the wealth of the citizens, by the historical town hall and
by timber-framed houses with ornamental carvings. In 2010 the World
Heritage site was expanded to include Walkenried Abbey, the historical
Grube Samson mine in St. Andreasberg and the Upper Harz water management
system. The latter, considered a masterpiece of early mining and
engineering artistry, consists of 107 historical ponds, 310 kilometres
of ditches and 31 kilometres of waterways. It is one of the largest
pre-industrial power supply facilities in the world. This part of the
World Heritage site can be explored on foot along a network of waterside
trails, which highlight not only the technological innovations but also
the beauty of the landscape.
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