Cycling to history: discover Dorsten's legacy of the Fürst Leopold colliery!

Cycling to history: discover Dorsten's legacy of the Fürst Leopold colliery!

On October 14, 2025, around 25 cyclists between the ages of 8 and 82 gathered for an exciting excursion that made Dorsten's history tangible on bike tours. The starting signal was fired at 12:15 p.m. from the Spreutenhüsken in the village of Hervest, and the route took them from the old village center to the impressive Prince Leopold colliery.

The participants reached the Fürst Leopold machine hall at 1:00 p.m., where they were warmly welcomed by Manfred Wissing, chairman of the Association for Mining, Industrial and Social History Dorsten e.V. A group photo in front of the “Leopold Regal” marked the beginning of a historical tour that brought the region’s deep-rooted mining history closer.

Traces of mining history

The tour was divided into two groups. The first group explored the mining settlement, which consists of around 850 residential units with 24 different house types designed by the architect Eggeling. This settlement was once home to around 650 pigeon breeders, who embodied the miners' sense of community. Today the intercultural garden on Heinrich-Wienke-Straße is a reminder of this lively community.

Representations of the “miners’ pets” were presented on the fountain square, reminiscent of everyday life. Manfred Wissing explained to visitors how the original steam engine from 1913 worked, while the second group stayed in the machine hall and experienced other interesting aspects of mining history. After two hours we switched to give both groups the opportunity to experience all facets of the story.

A striking industrial monument

The Fürst Leopold colliery, which was in operation from 1913 to 2001, can look back on an impressive history. A maximum of over 3,000 employees worked here, and in 1997 2.4 million tons of coal were mined. After its closure in 2001, when Ruhrkohle AG was the last operator, the site was converted into an important part of the industrial culture in the Ruhr area. The Fürst Leopold machine hall and the shaft II headframe are listed buildings and today form a central element of the CreativQuartiers Fürst Leopold, a cultural center that combines art, culture and gastronomy.

Events such as art exhibitions, concerts and theater performances regularly take place in the CreativQuartier. There are also various leisure activities here, such as guided tours of the mine site and a railway cycle path. The local mining association organizes these tours and also offers demonstrations of the steam extraction engine. The opening hours of the machine hall are until October 27, 2024, and the admission price is €3.00 for adults, €1.50 for young people aged 14 and over and €2.00 per person for groups.

The participants began their return journey at 4:30 p.m., full of impressions and satisfied faces. The day ended with a ceremonial hoisting of the relay banner “875 Years of the Village of Hervest” on the flagpole next to the Paulus linden tree. The Santa Claus procession, which will take place on December 7, 2025 to celebrate the village's anniversary, already offers another reason for anticipation.