Mühle Tiefenbrunnen

Mühle Tiefenbrunnen in Zurich is a red-brick industrial building on the lakeshore in the Riesbach district. It has been a brewery, a working flour mill and, today, a place for learning and culture, home to the Mühlerama museum where some of the machinery still runs.

What is Mühle Tiefenbrunnen?

It is a former grain mill in the south-east of Zurich, right by the Tiefenbrunnen tram terminus. The name refers to a well (German: Brunnen). City archive research suggests the well stood on a neighbouring plot, and a local tavern was named after it too.

How did the building change over time?

The building went up in 1889–1890 as a brewery. A competitor soon took the business over and shut it down. In 1913 the firm Wehrli & Koller converted the premises into a corn mill, moving over a family milling business that had previously operated elsewhere in the city. The mill generally ran around the clock and supplied Zurich's bakers with flour until 1983.

What can you see today?

Once commercial milling stopped, part of the complex became a museum, which opened in 1986 and is now called Mühlerama. The exhibited machines are operational and flour is ground almost daily, which makes this the oldest mill still working in the Zurich area. Guided visits through the 1913 mill are offered, along with workshops such as bread baking for groups.

Who is it for?

• Fans of industrial architecture and the history of technology.
• Families with children who enjoy hands-on activities.
• Anyone after a calmer corner of the city, close to the lake.

How do I get there?

Tiefenbrunnen is the end of the line for several trams and a transport hub on the lake, so getting here from central Zurich by public transport is straightforward. Check the museum's website for current opening hours and guided-tour dates before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a museum? The building is an industrial monument, and part of it houses the Mühlerama museum, which opened in 1986.

When was it built? In 1889–1890, as a brewery. It became a mill in 1913.

Does the mill still work? Yes. The machines run and flour is produced almost every day. Commercial production for bakers ended in 1983.

Where does the name Tiefenbrunnen come from? From a well that also gave its name to a nearby tavern; the district and tram stop share the name.