TO THE OLD BRICK KLEIN KÖLZIG (Neiße-Malxetal, D)

In the German-Polish geopark Muskauer Faltenbogen, you can go back in the history of the local handicraft production. The tradition of burning bricks in Klein Kölzig dates back to the 19th century. The local brickyard was built between 1892 and 1894. In 1920, a railway for transporting clay was put into operation, which was 4.5 km long. The yellow half-timbered brick building is arranged over three floors. On the top floor, semi-finished brick products were dried on huge shelves. On the first floor, the master brick burner made sure that the firing process continued in each chamber. A temperature of approximately 1,100 °C was required, which was maintained by a continuous supply of coal.

Come with us to the heart of the brickyard, which consists of Hoffmann’s circular kiln surrounded by 18 combustion chambers arranged in an oval shape.

Operation of the brickyard ceased in 1961 and the building was used as a granary until the end of the 1980s. The Ziegeleibahnverein brickyard and railway association, which takes care of historic vehicles, the circular kiln and operation of the railway, was founded in 2008. In 2020, the UNESCO geopark office moved to the first floor.