Halsbrücker Esse

The Halsbrücker forge, also known as the High Esse, neck Brück ( e) ner Esse or neck bridge ((e ) n ), he has become known High Esse ( Esse ostmitteldeutsch: chimney), is a 140 -meter high freestanding (industrial) chimney with associated flue, which was built in 1888 /89 and drainage dilution of the toxic fumes of Halsbrücker smelters. The chimney was the highest in the world at that time. He is still considered the tallest brick chimney in Europe ( Anaconda Smelter chimney stack in Montana, USA is higher) and is an industry- historical and technical monument. The High Esse is the landmark of the neck and bridge, favored by the fact that her foot is at about 380 m above sea level, a landmark visible from afar.

History and design data

The Halsbrücker Breakfast is located about 0.6 kilometers north of neck bridge at Freiberg in the right flank of the Freiberger Mulde and the hallway of the former local part sand. It was built on 22 September 1888 to October 28, 1889 from Chemnitz factory chimney construction company HR Heinicke. Its construction was preceded by years of massive complaints and grievances of residents and farmers of the surrounding villages, noted the harmful effects of cabin smoke on the livestock, the harvest results and human health.

The footprint of the building covers 144 square meters, the bottom diameter is 8.25 and the upper diameter of three meters. The chimney consists of 4140 tons of refractory, fired clay bricks, which came out of the pit Ilse near Senftenberg. The mortar shall be composed of 170 tons Bohemian Kalk, 1030 Elbsand tons and 60 tons of cement, so that the total mass is estimated to be about 5400 tons. Climbing the chimney is done by internally and externally mounted crampons. Iron rings were attached to a lower vertical distance of 5.5 meters, which decreases up to two meters in order to stabilize. With the smelters in the valley it is connected by a 500 meter-long flue.

End of April 1890, the industrial building was put into operation and is now making about 120 years since its service.

The construction of this chimney that has already been initiated in knowledge of environmental damage caused by fumes, meant that while on the leeward side of the prevailing wind direction ( east to southeast ) the smoke damage in the immediate area were limited, but the problem about 15 to 20 kilometers to the " misplaced " the Tharandter forest was. There was set by the Hüttenrauch caused damage fixed and began to study them scientifically.