Halde Haniel

The pit Prosper-Haniel, still in operation, developed from the integration of the Prosper and Franz Haniel pits. Franz Haniel, with its striking pedestal frame above pit 2, from 1921 was mined in the course of the Gutehoffnungshütte activities but until 1952 much water ingress prevented any coal extraction.
Today, the entire mining waste of the integrated pit is dumped onto the Haniel pit.
Landscape architect Josef Hermanns designed a mountain plateau shaped like two intertwined spirals. While one side of the semi-elliptical bends provides space for a theatre, the other wing is still being raised and will probably be finished in 2004.
In order to make the very geometrical summit a most striking landmark even from the faraway, not too much greenery has been planted. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the artificial mountain raised from mining waste extracted from the Prosper Haniel pit has also been a Christian meeting place. Visitors take a Way of the Cross up to a cross consecrated by the Pope when he visited the Ruhr area in 1987.
On the summit, an amphitheatre modelled upon Greek theatres was built from mining waste. This theatre can seat an audience of up to 800 and was opened in 1999.
Since 2002, the pit has had another attraction; Basque painter and sculptor Agustín Ibarrola crafted an archaic installation called “Totems" from 100 cross-sills.

Author: Route Industriekultur/ Redaktion baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 18.09.2007

Categories:
Landscape Architecture » Parks