Zeche Hannover is one of Bochum's strongest industrial heritage sites, a preserved coal mine whose brick engine house looks almost like a castle for machinery. The site is run as part of the LWL industrial museum network and focuses on the labour, technology, and social world of the Ruhr coalfield.
It is less overwhelming than the giant Zollverein complex in Essen, which makes it easier to take in at a human scale. The Malakow tower, winding engine, workers' stories, and children's mine area give a sharp picture of the industry that built modern Bochum.