Zeche Carl
80s hub for punk and rock
Essen is regarded as a major centre of hard rock. This reputation has its origins in the north of the city, around the former coal mine, the Zeche Carl. This was the home of the thrash metal band Kreator. From 1982, they emerged from the Zeche Carl to join the league of the internationally best-known bands from Germany. They still play in front of tens of thousands of fans today, and spawned sub-genres such as death metal or the Scandinavian black metal. Their début album, “Pleasure to Kill”, is regarded by many fans and critics as being one of the most important metal albums of all time. The scene surrounding Kreator at the Zeche Carl was also where the thrash metal band Sodom, originally from Gelsenkirchen, developed, who are enjoying huge success with their provocative texts and extremely hard guitar riffs. They have sold over 8 million recordings worldwide so far. However, the Zeche Carl is not just a favourite haunt for metal fans. During the 1980s, the area here was also a key location for the punk scene in the Ruhr region. This was home to one of the largest punk venues, where people networked and shared ideas. Not everyone paid to get in, and many punks simply hung about on the large open areas with huge quantities of beer. Today, the Zeche Carl is somewhat more civilised. However, it is still worth visiting for the sake of its fascinating architecture alone.
Further information
Wilhelm-Nieswandt-Allee 100, 45326 Essen