The Upper Castle, home to the Siegerland Museum, sits enthroned on the Siegberg hill. The museum was opened in 1905 and will celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2025. The Siegerland Museum has a rich collection, which is divided into five sections and displayed in an exhibition area of around 1,500 square metres.  

Over a period of around 2,500 years, ore extraction and processing had a significant impact on the regional economy of the Siegerland. Archaeological finds from prehistoric and early historic times prove that the rich mineral resources contributed to the early settlement of this region. As early as the La Tène period (around 150 BC), iron was extracted in so-called wind furnaces – an original example of this technology has been preserved and is on display today.

From the 14th century onwards, water power came into play: water wheels drove smelting works and hammer mills, which are considered the precursors of modern industrial plants. The technological development from simple hammer mills to puddling furnaces and steam hammers is vividly illustrated by detailed models.

Charcoal played a central role as a second pre-industrial energy source. It was obtained through the special forestry practices of the Siegerland region, known as Hauberg. This sustainable system ensured the supply of raw materials for regional iron processing for centuries.

Source: Siegerland Museum

Show mine 
A special attraction of the castle complex is the show mine, which was built in 1938 and extends about 14 metres below the castle courtyard. Over a length of about 100 metres, it offers a vivid insight into the working world of the Siegerland mining operations before industrialisation. Original mining equipment (tools), conveyor devices and a weather drum impressively illustrate the demanding work of the miners underground.

The exhibition mine offers a unique opportunity to experience historical ore mining up close. Here, visitors can gain an impression of how arduous and dangerous underground work once was. Expert guided tours bring the history of mining to life and make the visit an unforgettable experience.

The view from the ‘Kleiner Krebs’ and ‘Großer Krebs’ battery towers is remarkable. In the past, they were used to identify enemies in the surrounding area. In the event of an attack on Siegen, large guns and cannons were ready to defend the city. The city has changed significantly since then and is now a vibrant university town. Nevertheless, the view of the city and its surroundings from the ‘Kleiner Krebs’ and ‘Großer Krebs’ towers remains unique.

In the Middle Ages, the ironworks and iron hammers of the Siegerland region were relocated from the mountain slopes to the valleys to make optimal use of hydropower. This initiated an economic boom, with around 40 blast furnaces and hammer works being built by the mid-15th century. This development led to the systematic management of coppice forests, making the Siegerland region one of Europe's leading iron-producing regions.

With the advent of industrialization, the traditional iron and steel industry, which relied on charcoal as fuel, only survived until the first decades of the 19th century. Afterward, mass production shifted to the Ruhr region. Technological advances such as the puddling, Siemens-Martin, and electric furnace processes enabled the Siegerland steel industry to specialize in high-quality goods. This expertise led to the establishment of medium-sized roll casting, rolling mill, and mechanical engineering companies, some of which remain competitive to this day. However, physical traces of the traditional iron and steel works are rarely found.

Source: Heimatverein Siegerland e.V.

Hüttental, shaped by Siegen's industrial history, was once the centre of local iron and steel production. Numerous smelting works were established here, making the Siegerland region one of the most important iron-producing regions in Europe. The name ‘Hüttental’ is a reminder of this tradition. Today, Hüttentalstraße (HTS) is an important transport axis connecting the city districts and providing quick access to the modern university city. The industrial past lives on in monuments such as Monte Schlacko and historic buildings.

Hüttental, an important area of Siegen's industrial culture, stretches along the Sieg and Ferndorf rivers and encompasses the present-day districts of Geisweid, Weidenau and neighbouring areas. It owes its name to the high density of smelting works and metalworking companies that have characterised the area since the Middle Ages.

As early as the 19th century, the Hüttental developed into a centre of the iron and steel industry. Districts such as Buschgotthardshütten, Fickenhütten, Haardt, Meinhaardt, Münkershütten, Müsenershütten and Schneppenkauten, together with Weidenau, formed a focal point for the iron industry and mining.

The industrial prosperity of the Hüttental was favoured by its geographical location and natural resources. The hydropower of the rivers Sieg and Ferndorf played a crucial role in supplying energy to the ironworks. Over time, the region transformed from a settlement shaped by agriculture into a significant industrial hub.

Today, numerous industrial monuments and museums serve as reminders of the Hüttental's rich history. They offer insights into the development of the iron and steel industry and its impact on the Siegen region.

Source: Wasser Eisen Land

Founded in 1825, Gontermann-Peipers is one of the oldest companies in the industrial history of the Siegerland region. Originally a small foundry for rolling mills, it has developed over the decades into a leading international manufacturer of rolls and cast products. Based in Siegen, Gontermann-Peipers still stands for quality “Made in Siegerland” and is an important partner to the steel and aluminum industry worldwide.

Johann Heinrich Breitenbach and his wife Wilhelmine Catharina founded the company in the Sieghütte district of Siegen, where they cast parts in-house and had them processed at the nearby blast furnace. After Breitenbach's death in 1855, his daughter Catharina and her husband Gustav Gontermann continued to run the company under the name Gustav Gontermann GmbH.

In 1883, industrial pioneer Emil Peipers founded a foundry near the Hainer Hütte under the name Commandit-Gesellschaft Emil Peipers & Cie. In 1894, he received a patent for an improved process for manufacturing hard cast iron rolls, in which a special mold optimized cooling. Three years later, Gustav Gontermann took over the company and built a new plant in Marienborn in 1899, which was steadily expanded in the following years. In 1914, all activities of the Sieghütte were relocated there.

In 1927, the Gustav Gontermann and Emil Peipers companies merged to form Gontermann-Peipers AG. The plants in Marienborn and Hain became the central production sites of the newly formed company. During the Second World War, both locations suffered severe damage, but were gradually rebuilt after the end of the war.

In 1950, Gontermann-Peipers developed innovative steel composite casting, which combines different steel materials in a single casting—a core competence that remains to this day. The following decades saw important advances in the centrifugal casting process and the equipping of the Marienborn plant for the production of heavy rolls.

Today, Gontermann-Peipers is a globally recognized manufacturer of rolling mill rolls and cast products. The company's long history shows that success is always driven by people who shape the future with experience, innovative spirit, and perseverance.

Source: Gontermann Peipers

Founded in 1830, the Hainer Hütte was one of the central ironworks in the Siegerland region and a significant part of the local iron industry. It is considered the oldest blast furnace in the region. During the peak of industrialisation, pig iron—and later steel—was produced here, which was especially important for the emerging railway and mechanical engineering industries.

The plant played a key role in the development of the Siegerland as an iron-producing region and employed numerous local workers over the decades. However, with structural changes in the steel industry, the Hainer Hütte gradually lost its importance and was eventually closed.

Today, little remains of the original site. Nevertheless, its name endures as a symbol of Siegen’s industrial past and the region’s close connection to iron and steel production.

The Hainer Stollen in Siegen is an important testament to regional industrial heritage and plays a key role in the history of mining and the preservation of cultural assets during the Second World War.

Originally known as the Alte Silberkaute, the tunnel was first officially mentioned in 1859, although mining in the area likely dates back to the 16th century. The tunnel extends for approximately 720 metres beneath the Siegberg.

During the Second World War, starting in 1941, the Hainer Stollen was converted into an air-raid shelter covering an area of 2,230 square metres, with capacity for up to 3,000 people. It also served as a storage site for valuable cultural treasures, including the Aachen Cathedral Treasury containing the remains of Charlemagne, original paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, and manuscripts by Ludwig van Beethoven.

In April 1945, American soldiers—known as the "Monuments Men"—discovered these treasures in the Hainer Stollen. The soldiers documented their findings with photographs, some showing them posing with the crown jewels.

Today, the Hainer Stollen stands as a reminder of Siegen’s industrial past and the importance of cultural heritage preservation. It remains a significant part of the region’s industrial culture and a witness to the city’s eventful history. Further information and insights into the history of the Hainer Stollen can be found on the website of Siegener Unterwelten.

Getting there:
From Siegen main station, follow Bahnhofstraße past the Kölner Tor and along Kölner Straße up into the Upper Town.