10. STATION: "Gießhalle innen"

The casting hall linked to the blast furnace represents a globally unique example of the connection between a building and its machinery. 

In the initial phase of construction around 1830, the casting house comprised only six bays, that is to say, six pairs of columns. In 1845 the building was extended to its present size. Carl Ludwig Althans designed it segmentally. This meant that it could be easily extended; if necessary, even including the crane runway.

The unusual construction of the three-aisled building mainly served to support the innovative crane track suspended under the roof. The track was used to move heavy castings through the building. 

The crane track ran on rails suspended from the roof by rods that can still be seen today. Workers used a winch to raise heavy crucibles and castings which were then moved along the track before being lowered again at another point. The castings could also be lowered into the cellar for further processing in the polishing shop, or loaded onto carts for onward dispatch.

In addition to the remains of the crane track, three of the former eight revolving cranes have also been preserved. They were used to move castings from the side aisles to the central aisle and vice versa. This meant that, together with the crane track, it was possible to reach every area of the foundry building. The result was a transport route in the building that was hitherto unheard of in the foundry industry.