Photo: Cesar von Meissen
Neukircher Mill – Listed Building at Baldeneysee
The Neukircher Mill – also called White Mill – is a historic building in Essen district Werden. The structure is located directly on the Ruhr River, which is dammed a few meters upstream by lock Baldeney to form lock Baldeneysee. The Neukirch Mill is situated on the lock island next to the Neukirch Lock and near the... Brehminsel. Both structures – the mill and the lock – are listed historical monuments. The mill is now operated by the Folkwang University of the Arts used as a university building.
Harbor, mill and lock
The snow-white walls rise imposingly on the banks of the Hardenberg, reminiscent of a fortress or castle, but certainly not of a mill. The history of the Neukirchen Mill is varied, shaped by the history of shipping on the Ruhr River and closely linked to the history of the Neukirchen lock. The Neukirchen harbor was once located slightly upstream on the Ruhr, roughly where the boathouse of the EWRC (Neukirchen Rowing Club) of 1896 e.V. stands today.
Photo: Cesar von Meissen
Fires and Reconstruction
The mill, built in the 19th century in the Romanesque Revival style, was repeatedly destroyed by fire. This style of architecture dates back to the Historicist period and is considered to have emerged in the mid-19th century. It clearly distinguishes itself from Classicism and combines Romanesque and Byzantine elements with Renaissance architecture and straight lines. The fires are believed to have started in 1880, 1898, and 1899. The last fire, in particular, caused such extensive damage that the main building had to be completely rebuilt in 1900. The new building features two identical, crenellated towers, giving it a castle-like appearance.
Use in changing development
Initially operated as a grain mill, the original turbine was replaced by a steam engine. This also changed the use of the mill, which was henceforth used as a factory building for the construction of precision mechanical devices and the Werden metalworks. The construction of the Baldeneysees The damming of the Ruhr River by lock Baldeney rendered the Neukirch lock inoperable, and the Neukirch mill consequently lost its significance as an industrial site. It fell into oblivion and remained unused for many years.
Monument of industrial culture
Where once people toiled (Ruhr area dialect for "worked hard"), the music theater has found a home since 2004. Prior to this, the Neukircher Mill underwent extensive renovation and conversion from 1999 to 2004. The exterior walls were whitewashed with lime paint, and the musical theater department of the Folkwang University of the Arts moved into the White Mill. Thus, the Neukircher Mill is a prime example of the Ruhr area's varied history and industrial heritage. The White Mill is listed as a protected historical monument in the city of Essen under number 151.
