Heiligen Mühle
Privately owned pearl barley mill on the Schmale Gera with milling machinery from around 1860, three waterwheels and small exhibitions – tours on event days.
About the museum
The mill in Erfurt’s Ilversgehofen district is first mentioned in records in 1291. It owes its name to Caspar Heiling, who is listed as its owner around 1510. It formed the northern end of a long chain of mills along the Gera River and served as a paper mill in the early 18th century until French troops burned the property down in November 1813.
In 1816 an oil and barley mill was built on the site of the fire. In 1839 Johann Andreas Naue completely rebuilt the interior and set up a barley milling operation; the mill has been in the family ever since. A heating installation company was added in 1895. Milling ended in 1956, and the heating company continued until 1996.
From 1997, the Naue family got the milling machinery running again and restored the property step by step, including new waterwheels. As the only surviving pearl barley mill with equipment from around 1860, it is considered significant in the history of milling; in 2018 the family received the Thuringian Monument Preservation Prize for it. Besides mill tours, the house shows exhibitions on the history of heating engineering, on jazz and on the neighborhood, and it is a well-known concert venue in northern Erfurt.
Highlights
- Working pearl barley milling machinery from around 1860
- Three undershot waterwheels on the Schmale Gera
- Exhibition on the history of heating engineering and the Naue company
- Jazz exhibition and an exhibition on the Ilversgehofen district
- Mill festivals with guided tours on Mill Day, May Day and Heritage Day
Permanent exhibitions
- Heizungsbauausstellung – On display since 2016: the history of heating engineering and of the Naue family’s heating company, founded in 1895.
- Jazz-Ausstellung – Small exhibition on the history of jazz, in keeping with the house’s concert tradition.
- Founded
- 1997
- Operated by
- Familie Naue (privat)
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Mittelhäuser Straße
Tram line 1 to Mittelhäuser Straße or line 5 to Ilversgehofener Platz
By car
Parking available
Parking strip in front of the building.
Amenities & dining
Food and drinks only at events (catering service).
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Company parties and corporate events by arrangement; guest room in the former workshop, mill courtyard in summer.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | In-depth mill tours in which the milling machinery is set in motion, with explanations of the history of the river and the mill; hourly on event days, otherwise by appointment. |
