Wipperkotten

About the museum

The Wipperkotten stands between Solingen and Leichlingen directly on the Wupper, which is dammed here by a natural weir. Around 1600, a double Kotten (grinding workshop) was built on this spot, where numerous grinders, as owners or tenants, ground blades; it is first mentioned in documents around 1605. Of the 26 such double workshops that once stood on the lower Wupper, it is the last one preserved.

Damaged by fires several times, the Kotten survived both world wars, but lost importance with the rise of steam power and fell into disrepair. Shortly before its threatened demolition, the entire complex, including the weir, was placed under heritage protection in 1955 on private initiative. The inner Kotten on an island in the Wupper has been in family ownership since 1954 and was restored over decades; its water wheel was rebuilt in 1966. The outer Kotten on the bank belongs to a friends' association and is still used as a grinding workshop today.

In the inner Kotten, a museum shows handmade tools and equipment from Bergisch Kotten, Stone Age finds, medieval ore finds, and everyday objects of the Solingen delivery women (Lieferfrauen). The flood of July 2021 severely damaged exhibits and rooms; the restoration is now largely complete.

Highlights

• Last preserved double Kotten complex on the lower Wupper
• Inner Kotten on an island in the Wupper with a water wheel
• Collection of handcrafted tools from Bergisch Kotten
• Huge grinding stones over two meters in diameter
• Outer Kotten still in operation as a grinding workshop

Permanent exhibitions

• Museum im Innenkotten – Handmade tools and equipment from Bergisch grinding Kotten, Stone Age finds, ore finds, and everyday objects tell the story of blade making in Solingen.

Operated by

Familie Rodenkirchen (Innenkotten mit Museum)

Admission & discounts

Admission €2 per person.

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

The Kotten is located on the hiking trail along the Wupper between Leichlingen and Schloss Burg; the inner Kotten can be reached via a bridge.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

Museum shop with handicrafts and HAKARO design (special sale by appointment). The "Kaffee im Kotten" has not offered any catering or Bergische Kaffeetafel (traditional coffee table) since September 2025 until further notice.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit