Gasteiner Heilstollen

Montanmuseum Altböcksten

Useful Information

Location:	Bad Gastein, Böckstein, Altböckstein.
Open:	Montanmuseum Altböcksten: 13-May to 14-Oct Tue-Sun 10-12, 15:30-18. Guided tours: "Technology in the past and present" Tue 15. historical walk Thu 16.
Fee:	Montanmuseum Altböcksten: Adults EUR 2.20, Reduced EUR 1.50, Guided tours EUR 3.70. Gasteiner Heilstollen: 3 weeks with 10 adit visits EUR 479.61, 4 weeks with 12 adit visits EUR 561.03. (other combinations posssible, medical advice included)
Classification:	Gold Mine Silver Mine Radontherapy
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	T=37,5 °C-41,5 °C, H=70-95%
Guided tours:	Montanmuseum Altböcksten:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Gasteiner Heilstollen, Heilstollenstraße 19, A-5645 Böckstein, Tel.: +43-6434-3753, Fax: +43-6434-3753-66. Montanmuseum Altböcksten, Franz Haussteiner, Schareckstraße 7, 5640 Bad Gastein, Tel. +43-6434-2234. Bookings: Tel.: +43-6434-2298 or +43-6434-2447, Fax: +43-6434-5414 E-mail:
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

~1000	gold was found in the Gastein valley and a gold rush started.
1342	Archbishop Heinrich von Pyrnbrunn issued the first mountain regulation.
15th century	starting mining activities financed by the trading family Fugger from Augsburg.
16th-17th century	multiple mining activities in the Gastein valley between Sonnblick und Ankogel for gold and silver ore.
1557	the best mining year with a production of 830 kg of gold and 2723 kg of silver.
1616	Achbishop Markus Sittikus took over the mining, in order to give work to the unemployed miners.
1642	the mining bacame lukrative again, as new techiques like the use of explosives were introduced.
1741	mining plant in Altböckstein erected.
1864	Erste Gewerkschaft Radhausberg 1864 (First Trade Union Radhausberg 1864) founded.
1907	Erste Gewerkschaft Radhausberg 1864 gave up.
1938-1945	an attempt of the German Preuß AG to reactivate the mining activities (to finance the war) failed.
1946	extensive scientific research by the Universität Innsbruck.
1951	Prof. Scheminszky and Prof. Hittmair of the Universität Innsbruck released their report.
1952	Heilstollen-Betriebsges.m.b.H. founded.
1954	first Stollenkurhaus (adit hospital) built.
1970-1971	hospital extended.
1989	new hospital inaugurated.

Description

The Montanmuseum (mining museum) in the village Altböcksten is in a building called Salzstadl (salt barn). Here the mining history of the Gastein valley between Sonnblick und Ankogel is explained. Another part of the exhibition is located in the Samerstall, including a gold ore processing plant and the possibility to wash gold.

The Paselstollen (Pasel adit) at the Radhausberg in Böckstein was built in 1940, in an attempt to reactivate the mining activities of the 17th century. A motive may have been the necessity to finance the war. So the adit was built below the historic mines, to find the ore filled clefts. But this did not work, no silver and gold ores were found.

But the high temeperature and the high humidity were noticed, and several miners with rheumatic problems told about reduced discomfort while they worked in the adit. After the war, from 1946 on, the Universität Innsbruck made a scientific research in the adit and the healing effects of the adit were named in a report by Prof. Scheminszky and Prof. Hittmair. The three factors are high temperature, high humidity and the natural radon gas in the adit, with an amout of 4,5 nanocurie per liter air.

The most important effect is the ease of ankylosing spondylitis. Gastein is the spa with the most patients in the world treated with radon against this disease.

Today the adit is called Gasteiner Heilstollen (Gastein Healing Adit) and together with the hospital, the Felsenbad (a spa) and other wellness offers the village really deserves the prefix Bad (the German word for spa), which is given to villages with a healing quality. Located in the Alps, the village also offers multiple winter sport possibilities like skiing and snowboarding.