Viewpoint of Kallmuther Berg Open Pit

The lead mining in Mechernich is described as an important cultural landscape area (KLB) as in the specialist article cultural landscape to the Cologne regional plan. The value-determining features of the historical cultural landscape are briefly summarized and characterized for the scale level of regional planning.

There is evidence of pre-Roman or Roman mining, day labor mining in the Middle Ages and the early modern era, large-scale open-cast mining began in the 19th century (most modern mine in Europe in the mid-19th century), the last mine closed in 1957; Due to the low metal content of the ore, only economic success through mass mining in surface and underground mining; Large parts of the mines were buried, in some cases only the uppermost mining hawser (pit with minerals to be mined) visible on the surface (ground monument).

Malakoffturm: around 1870 over a shaft of the Bleierz colliery Emil erected winding tower, the only remaining one in the Rhineland outside of the Ruhr area; Landmark with a great long-distance effect, lines of sight from Lückerath and Roggendorf. - Reminder of the earlier importance of the Mechernich lead mining.

The cultural landscape and monument conservation goal within the framework of regional planning is a preserving cultural landscape development, in particular
+ Preservation as the dominant feature of the landscape
+ Securing culturally significant soils
+ Preserving and securing archaeological and palaeontological monuments in their context

From: Landschaftsverband Rheinland (Ed.): Specialist contribution cultural landscape to the Cologne regional plan. Preserving cultural landscape development, Cologne 2016.

The open pit Kallmuther Berg was the last mine before the closure of the lead mine on 31.12.1957.

Great view of the open pit as well as into the distance.