- Parking spaces available
- Bus stop available
- Free admission
- free of charge / accessible at any time
Möhnesee dam wall
Building / Modern architecture | Monument | Diverse sights | Diverse nature experiences
Impressive, romantic, majestic... the dam wall of Lake Möhne moves and inspires the imagination!
Visible from afar, the heaviest monument in Westphalia rises above the surface of the equalizing pond. Its
significant and eventful history began more than 100 years ago.
Please note the current protective measures to prevent the spread of the invasive quagga mussel. All information at www.ruhrverband.de/flussgebiet/invasive-arten-und-schaedlinge/quaggamuschel
Address
Möhnesee dam wall
Möhnestraße
59519 Möhnesee
Telephone: +49 2924 / 981 391
Properties:
The Ruhrtalsperrenverein acquired around twelve square kilometers of land for the planning of the largest dam in the Sauerland region at the time. People had to leave their homes, villages were abandoned, others were expanded and new traffic routes were built. It took four years for the huge quarry stone dam to grow to its height of 40 meters in October 1912 - one year before the planned completion and inauguration!
During the Second World War, Lake Möhne was of crucial importance for the armaments industry in the Ruhr region and thus became the focus of the Allied forces. On the night of May 16-17, 1943, the night of the Möhne catastrophe, the British attackers succeeded in tearing a 70-metre-wide and 20-metre-high hole in the wall using a specially developed "roll bomb". The subsequent tidal wave buried many hundreds of people, including many forced laborers. Forced laborers were also used for the subsequent, very rapid reconstruction. A dark chapter in history.
However, the Möhnesee soon developed into a preferred recreational area, especially for people from the Ruhr region, and its importance for tourism continued to grow over the years. Swimming and water sports, as well as hiking and cycling, make for a varied vacation.
Today, the dam wall is a protected cultural monument and the main attraction in the region. The two power stations, which were integrated into the dam from the outset, supply environmentally friendly, climate-neutral electricity.
During the Second World War, Lake Möhne was of crucial importance for the armaments industry in the Ruhr region and thus became the focus of the Allied forces. On the night of May 16-17, 1943, the night of the Möhne catastrophe, the British attackers succeeded in tearing a 70-metre-wide and 20-metre-high hole in the wall using a specially developed "roll bomb". The subsequent tidal wave buried many hundreds of people, including many forced laborers. Forced laborers were also used for the subsequent, very rapid reconstruction. A dark chapter in history.
However, the Möhnesee soon developed into a preferred recreational area, especially for people from the Ruhr region, and its importance for tourism continued to grow over the years. Swimming and water sports, as well as hiking and cycling, make for a varied vacation.
Today, the dam wall is a protected cultural monument and the main attraction in the region. The two power stations, which were integrated into the dam from the outset, supply environmentally friendly, climate-neutral electricity.
Directions
Large parking lot available directly at the dam wall (day ticket 6€)