The Saar Polygon in Ensdorf, Germany, takes on different shapes as the viewer moves around the structure. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
An unusual sight caught my eye atop a hill near the town of Saarlouis recently while I was driving toward the French border: a futuristic and enigmatic structure that stood boldly against the sky.
I had found the Saar Polygon, a memorial to the region’s mining industry.
In 2016, a local mining heritage preservation group built the metal structure perched atop the Duhamel spoil tip of the former coal mine in Ensdorf.
This colossal mound, which sprawls across roughly 125 acres and soars about 500 feet above the surrounding Saar valley, tells the story of the region’s history of coal mining.
A father and his daughter hike up the Duhamel Tip on Aug. 27, 2023, in Ensdorf, Germany. The manmade hill has been reforested and hosts an array of plant and animal life. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
On a recent Sunday, my wife and I took a closer look.
We followed a snaking path through the woods, and after the short and steep 30-minute hike, we reached the moonscape of the rocky plateau at the top.
Rounding the final bend, we marveled at the structure’s sleek lines of steel, which intersected with the rugged terrain and evoked a space station.
Visitors enter the Saar Polygon on Aug. 27, 2023, in Ensdorf, Germany. Each staircase is tilted at a 45-degree angle. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Visitors look at the Saar Polygon atop the Duhamel coal tip in Ensdorf, Germany, on Aug. 27, 2023. The steel structure has a 360-degree viewing platform. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Despite weighing 275 tons, the all-metal structure appears to be suspended effortlessly. The multi-angled tower felt like it changed shape as we walked around it.
After climbing its 133 steps, we were treated to a spectacular panoramic view from the 100-foot-high platform. Saarlouis stretched below along the banks of the shimmering Saar River, and we could even make out distant France and Luxembourg on the horizon.
Visitors take in the panorama from the viewing platform of the Saar Polygon on Aug. 27, 2023.The almost 100-foot-high tower serves as a modern memorial to Saarland's coal mining heritage. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
When the weather is right, the view from atop the Saar Polygon in Ensdorf, Germany, extends all the way to France and Luxembourg. The hike to the top of the Duhamel hill takes about 30 minutes. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Reminiscent of the underground support structures used in the coal mines, the Polygon’s prominent hilltop location also is a reminder of the winding towers that hoisted coal to the surface.
The Ensdorf mine once employed 2,700 people. Its closure in 2012 marked the end of an era in the Saarland, which had been one of the most important coal-producing regions in Europe.
However, every ton of precious coal unearthed left behind more than 800 pounds of slag, slate and other rock debris. For over a century, this waste was piled high, creating hills like the Duhamel Tip.
More than eight such heaps in the Saarland have been reforested and declared natural monuments that bear witness to the work that once created whole communities and drove the state’s economy.
Saarland’s coal industry experienced an unexpected revival recently, amid concerns over Germany’s energy supply in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the disruption of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
A miniature diorama shows a winding tower once operational in Bexbach, Germany. The Bexbach mining museum offers insights into Saarland's coal mining history. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A decommissioned coal drilling machine in the underground corridor at the Saarland Mining Museum in Bexbach, Germany. The museum displays the tools that shaped Saarland's industrial past. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Bexbach’s power station was reactivated to meet anticipated winter power demand. This small community is also home to the Bexbach Mining Museum.
Visitors here can dive deeper into the work that moved mountains and descend into its history underground.
Next to the museum is another coal heap, called Monte Barbara, which offers its own 2.6-mile walking trail featuring family-friendly signs that explain more about the coal industry.
The signs are in German but can be easily translated with an app. Our favorite station invited visitors to explore the hill’s plentiful supply of small rocks for fossils. My wife and I quickly found inclusions of ferns and grasses in the grey slate sheets.
Perched atop Monte Barbara in Bexbach, Germany, the statue of St. Barbara watches over the Saarland. She is the patron saint of miners, and the state of Saarland was once a major European center of coal mining. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Amid the rocks atop Monte Barbara in Bexbach, Germany, fossilized grass offers a glimpse into ancient landscapes. The rocks on the slag heap were once buried along coal lines deep underground. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
We then followed the path to the statue of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the miners and their families. Also visible from Monte Barbara is Bexbach’s coal-fired power plant, which is running again.
As Germany grapples with its energy supply shift, coal’s role in the mix remains contested. The polygon, with its twisted shape and view on the areas many wind energy turbines, seems a fitting symbol of this difficult transition.
In addition, it’s a great way to get outside and remember what it takes to keep the lights on at home.
Visitors enjoy the panoramic views from the polygon plateau Aug. 27, 2023, in Ensdorf, Germany. The hilltop offers views of the surrounding Saarland. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Saar Polygon
Directions: The Saar Polygon is located in 66806 Ensdorf, Germany, and is easily accessible from Kaiserslautern by car via the A6 and A8 highways. Free roadside parking is available along Bei Fussenkreuz road. Monte Barbara is located a short walk from Bexbach Mining Museum at Niederbexbacher Str. 62, 66450 Bexbach.
Times: Official hours for the Polygon are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The mining museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday though Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
Cost: The Polygon and Monte Barbara are free.
Food: Saarlouis offers a variety of restaurants. A favorite for reliable Italian fare is Donna Mia, located a 10-minute drive from the Polygon at Kleiner Markt 1, 66740 Saarlouis. The restaurant East has Chinese street food rarely found in Germany.
Information: Online: bergbauerbesaar.de/das-polygon
