The central shaft system, which went into service in 1932 after being built by Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer in the style of the new objectivity, was the largest an most productive hard coal mine in Europe until it was closed down in 1986. Zollverein Shaft XII has been renovated by stages since 1990, and in 2001 both it and the coking plant were declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site, togehter with Shaft system 1/2/8. Around the „Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr region“, a wide variety of cultural activities today create the attraction that draws up to 800.000 visitors a year onto the grounds. You can immerse yourself in a daily tour of the „coal route“ in the history of the mine, and choose between numerous exhibitions, concerts and dance performances. The visitor centre in the converted coal washing plant, into which a 58 metre long free-standing escalator leads, is the first point of contact for visitors. In future, as the visitor centre for the Ruhr region it will also offer an overview of the tourist an cultural attractions of the region to visitors from around the world.  

The guides tour „Coal an Colliers“ enables you to experience the work routines of the past and to glance at the future of Zollverein. You will be led through the above-ground installation of what was once the most modern, productive, and aesthetically pleasing (as it is even today) coalmines in Europe: Zollverein Shaft XII. The tour’s starting point is the “Ehrenhof” in front of the winding tower with the famous double-rack construction and leads past former machine rooms, the boilerhouse and the mine’s former train station. Also the „heart of the site“, the longtime renovated cole washing plant is a fix component of this guided tour. Upon the rooftop of the coal washing plant you can experience an impressive panoramic view.