Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile
Monument
Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile, located in Marles-les-Mines (Pas-de-Calais), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Marles-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.5035, 2.5070
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00108470
The last headframe to survive the destruction of 14-18 in the Artois coalfield, the Saint-Émile pit at Marles-les-Mines is an exceptional reminder of the golden age of coal mining in the Pas-de-Calais.
History
At the heart of the Pas-de-Calais coalfield, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Saint-Émile pit stands as one of the few authentic remains of the pre-First World War coal industry. Its modest but irreplaceable headframe belongs to a generation of metal structures that have all but disappeared, bearing witness to a time when coal mining shaped the landscape, societies and destinies of an entire region. What makes this site truly unique is its absolute rarity. Almost all the mining infrastructure in northern France was razed in the fighting of the Great War or demolished in the second half of the 20th century. The metal truss headframe at Saint-Émile is one of the only examples of its type preserved in situ in the Artois region, an almost miraculous survival that gives it considerable heritage and emotional value. A visit to the site offers a fascinating insight into the world of underground mining. The Koepe pulley extraction machine - a sophisticated mechanical system that guided the cages carrying miners and coal into the bowels of the earth - can still be seen in its original building, which has been carefully preserved and converted into a multi-purpose hall. Seeing these mechanisms in action gives a real insight into the complexity and power of the mining industry in the Belle Époque. The surrounding area also bears the traces of this history: the corons, slag heaps and railway lines that still dot the Marles-les-Mines area are a reminder that for a century, this commune was an essential cog in the national economy. Visiting the Saint-Émile pit is a way of reconnecting with the working class past of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, honouring the work and sacrifice of generations of miners, and understanding how coal forged the identity of an entire region.
Architecture
The headframe of the Saint-Émile pit is of the type known as "truss and lattice", characteristic of French and Belgian metallurgical production in the second half of the 19th century. Unlike the large reinforced concrete headframes that became popular after the First World War, this lightweight structure is made entirely of bolted steel sections, forming an openwork assembly that gives it a slender, almost fragile silhouette. Modest in size compared to the colossus of the Lens or Liévin pits, it nonetheless possesses all the functional rigour typical of industrial architecture of the period: each element responds to a precise technical need, without superfluous ornamentation. The Koepe pulley extraction machine, preserved in its original building, is the site's second jewel. This system, invented in 1877 by the German engineer Friedrich Koepe, replaces the traditional winding drums with a large friction wheel around which the cable carrying the cages is wound. More energy-efficient and better suited to great depths, the Koepe system became established in European mines from the end of the 19th century. The building that houses it, which has been converted into a multi-purpose hall, retains its original industrial volume, with its northern brick walls, internal metal framework and large windows providing natural lighting for the mechanisms. The whole building is a coherent and rare example of pre-war artésienne mining architecture.
Related Figures
Ingénieurs de la Compagnie des Mines de Marles (fondateurs de l'exploitation, 1852-1858)Friedrich Koepe (inventeur du système d'extraction à poulie, 1877)Mineurs de Marles-les-Mines (ouvriers ayant travaillé à la fosse du XIXe siècle aux années 1970)Directeurs successifs de la Compagnie des Mines de Marles (gestionnaires de l'exploitation jusqu'à la nationalisation de 1946)Responsables de Charbonnages de France (gestionnaires post-nationalisation jusqu'à la fermeture)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile located?
Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile is located in Marles-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile built?
Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile open to visitors?
Ancienne fosse Saint-Emile is currently closed to visitors.