Imagine a time. The year is 1837. The Ruhr River is a vital artery for industrial transport. This is the story of Holteyer Hafen.
Holteyer Hafen in Essen was once a bustling hub of activity. It was one of the first true harbors on the Ruhr. It wasn’t just a simple landing place.
Picture the scene. Coal ships, known as Ruhraaken, sought refuge here. They waited out storms and floods. They even overwintered when ice made the river impassable. Holteyer Hafen was their safe haven.
The harbor got its name from the Holtey family. They lived nearby. As early as 1833, merchants wanted a secure harbor. The Leinpfad towpath had already been there since 1780.
Building the Holteyer Hafen wasn’t easy. When construction started in 1837, the steam excavator from Ruhrort wasn’t ready. The bricklayers were already busy elsewhere. Weather and floods caused more delays. Finally, in late 1838, workers from Paderborn finished the job.
A harbor supervisor lived on-site. His house had a storehouse. He watched over everything. There was even a place to repair ships in the southern part of the harbor. The Ruhrort district’s water authority maintained the harbor facilities.
Nearby mines used the Holteyer Hafen. The Mönkhoffsbank and Vereinigte Charlotte mines in Wichteltal were connected. A horse-powered railway linked them to the harbor. This railway also served a coal depot on the Ruhr.
But times changed. Railroads became more common in the Ruhr valley. River transport became less profitable. By 1880, Holteyer Hafen was no longer used as a harbor.
The Turnerbund 1900 e. V. Überruhr, a gymnastics club, moved in later. In 1929, they turned an old barn into a gym by the harbor basin. In 1938, they built a boathouse. They even used the basin for swimming.
Today, you can still see the entrance to Holteyer Hafen. The unbroken stone arch bridge remains. The old Leinpfad runs over it. It’s now part of the RuhrtalRadweg bike path. Some of the original pavement is still there. However, asphalt covered it in 2017. The harbor basin is still a body of water. But the other harbor facilities are gone. Since 1988, the harbor basin, bridge, and Leinpfad have been protected as historical landmarks.
The Turnerbund 1900 e. V. Essen-Überruhr still uses the harbor. Their paddling department is active here. The city of Essen also allows fishing in the water. You might catch eels, bream, chub, pike, carp, or tench.
In 2007, the city of Essen started a project. It’s called Holteyer Hafen/Stadtpark Überruhr. The goal is to improve the Überruhr neighborhood. It also aims to boost tourism in the Ruhr valley. Plans from 2015 to 2020 included protecting the harbor. The city wanted to prevent silting and excessive reeds. They also planned to extend the Ludwig-Kessing-Park to the harbor. The project aimed to open up views of the water. The estimated cost was 200,000 euros.
So, as you stand here at Holteyer Hafen. Remember its past. From bustling harbor to peaceful recreation area, it is a place that has transformed. It connects us to Essen’s industrial heritage and its present-day community.