The half-ruined Kalköfen bear witness to Geseke’s industrial history. The boom began in 1843 with the discovery of Portland cement, which led to the founding of the first cement plant in Geseke in 1900. The construction of the new railroad line spurred the building of additional cement plants.
The massive shaft kilns, built of quarry stone and brick, were constructed in the 1920s by the “Monopol” company. They have been designated historic landmarks since the 1980s.
Lime has been burned in Geseke—as in many regions with limestone deposits—since the Middle Ages. The material was already in demand in ancient times because it is suitable for whitewashing walls, as fertilizer, and, above all, as mortar.
Its practical properties are still utilized today: When limestone is heated in a fire, it releases carbon dioxide. If it is then quenched with water, it crumbles into powder. When mixed with water and sand, it forms mortar. When the lime mortar is applied and allowed to dry, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air and becomes solid again—just like the rock at the beginning of the cycle.
