Niederberg IV Shaft Facility
Former colliery shaft near Tönisberg with its headframe, now protected as an industrial heritage monument.
The Niederberg IV shaft facility is located on Windmühlenweg west of Tönisberg in Kempen. It was once a shaft of the Niederberg colliery, which was later absorbed into the Bergwerk West mine.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Former mine shaft, now an industrial heritage site
- Location
- Windmühlenweg, west of Tönisberg, Kempen
- Sinking began
- 1959
- Depth
- 780 m
- Closure
- 2002
- Function
- Ventilation and transport of miners and equipment
History
The shaft initially had a wooden headframe, which was replaced by a steel tower in 1962. From 1963, the adjacent Wartsbergsiedlung company housing estate was occupied by miners' families. After operations ended, the shaft was backfilled with 13,350 m³ of concrete.
Niederberg Colliery
The shaft facility belonged to the Niederberg colliery, whose mining field covered roughly 120 km². The shaft was situated in the southwestern part of this field and was later integrated into the Bergwerk West mine.
Today
In 2014, mining company RAG applied for permission to demolish the facilities, sparking public protests. The headframe with its shaft hall, the winding engine house, and another building are now protected as industrial heritage monuments. The site is planned for redevelopment as a commercial and industrial park.
Surroundings
South of the shaft facility stands a 17th-century post windmill.
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-07-07
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