Hambach Surface Mine – Elsdorf, Germany - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Hambach Surface Mine

Elsdorf, Germany

This mine is home to the largest man-made hole in Europe.  

View all photos
View from observation point. themultiverse (Atlas Obscura User)
View from observation point. themultiverse (Atlas Obscura User)
60
70
Top Places in Germany
Arthouse Tacheles
Berlin, Germany
Teufelskanzel & Hexenaltar
Sankt Andreasberg, Germany
Slab for the Ruhr
Essen, Germany
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Hambach Surface Mine with additional information or photos.

This open-pit coal mine began operations in 1978 due to a demand for cheap energy. The mine covers more than 3,000 hectares and is allotted for around 85,000 hectares. Once the mine has been depleted of all its resources around 2040, it will be closed and transformed into a massive lake. The mine is also home to Bagger 293, a bucket-wheel excavator that is known as one of the largest terrestrial vehicles in the world. 

Know Before You Go

Take some binoculars for an awesome view of the large machines.

mine coal
Community Contributors
themultiverse
Added by
themultiverse
Published
December 5, 2019
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Hexenturm Jülich
10.02 miles
Roman Tomb Köln-Weiden
10.50 miles
Helios Lighthouse
14.48 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Jülich, Germany

Hexenturm Jülich

A medieval gate once used as a prison and how home to a city museum.
Cologne, Germany

Roman Tomb Köln-Weiden

The final resting place for a wealthy Roman family, this tomb might be the best preserved of its kind outside Italy.
Cologne, Germany

Helios Lighthouse

How did a lighthouse wind up in the middle of this landlocked German city?
Cologne, Germany

Memorial to the Edelweiss Pirates

A poignant mural honors the heroic teenage non-conformists who took on the Nazis and paid the ultimate price.
Related Places
Shinnston, West Virginia

Charlie the Coal Miner

A 21-foot-tall statue of a miner made of scrap metal stands in this West Virginia coal town.
Allanton, Scotland

Kingshill Miners Memorial

A striking statue commemorates the men who worked underground in Kingshill and Allanton.
Lawrence, Australia

Berry Deep Lead Gold Mine

One of the most successful gold mines of the Victorian gold rush.
Featherstone, England

Memorial to the Featherstone Massacre

A distinctive sculpture honors those killed and injured during a mineworkers strike in 1893.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
From Around the Web