Schaubergwerk Arthurstollen

Useful Information

Location:	Einöden 41, 5600 Einöden. At St. Johann im Pongau. Motorway exit Bischofshofen. From the northern city limits of St. Johann 2 km on Bundesstraße 1. Stop at Elektrizitätskraftwerk (electric power plant OKA). 45 min walk to the Wasserschloß (surge tank), signposted. (47.3788808, 13.2038693)
Open:	closed. [2025]
Fee:	closed. [2025]
Classification:	Copper Mine Oldest Mines
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	T=7 °C, L=5022 m.
Guided tours:	D=90 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Thomas Stöllner et. al. (2006): Der bronzezeitliche Bergbau im Südrevier des Mitterberggebietes. Bericht zu den Forschungen der Jahre 2002 bis 2006, ARCHAEOLOGIA AUSTRIACA, Band 90 / 2006, 87–137 © 2006 by Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien. pdf Thomas Stöllner, Clemens Eibner, Jan Cierny, (2004): Prähistorischer Kupferbergbau Arthurstollen. Ein neues Projekt im Südrevier des Mitterberg-Gebietes (Salzburg) In: Weisgerber G., Goldenberg G. (Hrsg.), Alpenkupfer – Rame delle Alpi. Anschnitt, Beih.17, Bochum, S.95-106. ISBN: 3937203052.
Address:	Schaubergwerk Arthurstollen, Einöden, A-5600 St. Johann im Pongau, Tel: +43-6462-4807.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

3,700 BP	early copper mining during the Bronze Age.
1907	Arthurstollen dug.
1928	water from the Mühlbach lead through the tunnel, used for power generation in the Salzachtal.
1975-1977	copper mining closed, Arthurstollen still maintained to secure power generation.
1988	power generation discontinued.
1992-1995	restauration by the Verein Montandenkmal Arthurstollen.
1997	opened to the public.
2000	Show mine closed due to lack of an emergency exit.

Geology

This is a typical metalliferous lode, containing chalkopyrite and pyrite. Much less important minerals are tetraedrit, which contains gold, and gersdorffit, which contains cobalt. Although gold is valuable, the proportion of the mineral and its gold content were not economically relevant. Non-metallic rocks in the lode are varieties of quartz and carbonates.

Description

The Schaubergwerk Arthurstollen (Arthurstollen Mining Museum) is a Bronze Age copper mine, up to 180 m long passages from this time can be visited. This is really exceptional, as so old mines are rare and often collapsed during this long time. Woods found in the tunnels were analyzed using C14 and dated to be 3,700 and 3,400 years old. It seems the mine was mined two times, about 400 years apart, but this is not easy to say with the current state of exploratikon. The good preservation of the wooden platforms and columns is a result of the copper in the dripping water. This is the oldest known copper mine in the eastern alps and well preserved.

The prehistoric mines are visited through the Arthurstollen, which is rather young and was dug in 1907. The ancient mine was discovered 400 m from the tunnel entrance. The tunnel crosses the mountain ridge to Mühlbach am Hochkönig on the other side. It was used to lead the river Mühlbach through the mountain for power generation. Close to the tunnel mouth is the Wasserschloß (surge tank), which is a typical example of industrial architecture of the 1920s. It was part of the hydroelectric power station located down by the river, it intercepted the pressure surge in the water pipe that occurs when the valve closes, because otherwise it would destroy the pipe or the valve. Today it is used as a museum and visitors center.

It is particularly sad that the unique show mine, which had already been opened, was closed again by the authorities after just a few years. Tourist use would have ensured the continued preservation of the monument. However, the lack of an emergency exit, a bureaucratic hurdle that is difficult to realise in old mines, put an end to this. The DBM and the Verein Montandenkmal Arthurstollen (Arthurstollen Mine Monument Association) have been endeavouring to reopen the mine since 2002. From 2010, a project with the German Mining Museum Bochum was underway, which carried out restoration work at the mouth hole and in the tunnel. In the meantime, the tunnel has been secured and 12 m of the entrance area has been stabilised with a modern steel lining so that the forest road above the tunnel entrance can also be used by heavy machinery and vehicles. However, the show mine has not yet been reopened and is currently still closed [2025]. The fact that the Arthurstollen is listed as Geosite 51: Prehistoric Arthurstollen of the Ore of the Alps UNESCO Geopark does not change this.