Möhnesee dam wall

To plan what was then the largest dam in the Sauerland region, the Ruhr Valley Dam Association acquired approximately twelve square kilometers of land. People had to leave their homes; some villages were abandoned, while others were expanded, and new roads were built. It took four years for the massive rubble-stone dam to reach its height of 40 meters in October 1912—a year ahead of the planned completion and dedication!

During World War II, Möhnesee was of crucial importance to the arms industry in the Ruhrgebiet and thus became a target for the Allied forces. On the night of May 16–17, 1943—the night of the Möhne disaster—British attackers succeeded in tearing a 70-meter-wide and 20-meter-high hole in the dam using a specially developed “rolling bomb.” The resulting flood wave buried many hundreds of people, including many forced laborers. Forced laborers were also deployed for the subsequent, very rapid reconstruction. A dark chapter in history.

Yet early on, Möhnesee became a favorite local recreation area—especially for people from the Ruhrgebiet—and its importance as a tourist destination continued to grow over the years. Swimming and water sports, as well as hiking and biking, make for a varied vacation.

Today, the dam is a protected cultural monument and the region’s main attraction. The two power plants, which were integrated into the dam from the very beginning, supply environmentally friendly, climate-neutral electricity.


Accessibility Information

• Three parking spaces for people with disabilities are available.
• The path from the parking lot to the dam is step-free and has a slight incline.
• The path is paved throughout.
  
• The dam crest is easy to walk and drive on throughout.
  
• The dam crest is paved throughout.
  
• There are places to sit at both ends of the dam.
  
• The Möhnesee boat landing is paved, but has a steep incline in some places.