Schaubergwerk Hüttenberg

Schaubergwerk Knappenberg

Useful Information

Location:	Knappenberg 32, 9376 Knappenberg. (46.933399, 14.570321)
Open:	APR to JUN daily 10-17. JUL to AUG daily 10-18. SEP to OCT daily 10-17. [2006]
Fee:	Adults EUR 8, School pupils EUR 4.50, Students EUR 4.50, Apprentices EUR 4.50, Civilian service EUR 4.50, Disabled EUR 4.50, Seniors EUR 7. Groups (10+): Adults EUR 6.50, School pupils EUR 3.50, Students EUR 3.50, Apprentices EUR 3.50, Civilian service EUR 3.50, Disabled EUR 3.50. Combi ticket with Heinrich-Harrer-Museum and Puppenschau: Adults EUR 14, School pupils EUR 7, Students EUR 7, Apprentices EUR 7, Civilian service EUR 7, Disabled EUR 7, Seniors EUR 13. [2006]
Classification:	Iron Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	A=800 m asl.
Guided tours:	D=60 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Schaubergwerk Hüttenberg, Knappenberg 32, A-9376 Knappenberg, Tel: +43-4263-427 or +43-4263-8108, Fax: +43-4263-8109. 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

500 BC	first mentioned.
1567	construction of Erbstollen started.
1978	mine closed.
1980	show mine opened to the public.

Description

The Schaubergwerk Hüttenberg (Hüttenberg show mine) is located inside the 900 m long Erbstollen. This is an adit which was started in 1567 and drained the iron mine. Today the adit is used as a sort of underground museum showing the mining technology of 2,500 years, the transport of air into the mine, and water out of it. The visitor is also informed about Saint Barbara, the Patron Saint of the miners. And finally some local myths and lengends about the mining are told.

Knappenberg has an extremely long history. It has reportedly been in operation for about 2,500 years, since early Roman times, when the Noric Iron was well known. The mining brought prosperity upon the town for centuries to come. Miners were a highly esteemed profession, wore their characteristic costume and developed their own traditions and culture. Although their work was incredibly dangerous and demanding, they stuck by it and passed on their knowledge from generation to generation.

This once was Austria's second largest iron ore mine. But with developing mining technology, international competition and increasing wages in Austria, it was not profitable any more and was closed in 1978.

The tour of the mine, exhibitions in the mining and mineral museums and two 19th century blast furnaces aim at recreating some of the historic atmosphere. The mine is said to be third-biggest mineral collection site of the world, whatever "big" means in this case. The mineral exhibition (Mineralienschau) is a collection of more than 200 different minerals from this mine. One of the minerals is called Löllingit, named after the nearby village Lölling. Typical local minerals are varieties of quartz like rock crystal, amethyst, and chalcedony, but also malachite, calcite, pyrite, and many others. The Albert-Halde is a slack heap of the old mine and is open to collectors. On the first weekend in Juli a famous mineral fair is held in the town.

Another sight connected with the mining is the Heft. It is one of the biggest iron works in Europe from the 19th century. It is an open air museum with numerous buildings and blast furnaces.

Knappenberg is the birthplace of the famous Austrian Heinrich Harrer. He was a mountaineer and was used by the Nazis for propaganda. When he was on an expedition to the Himalaya World War II started and he was imprisoned by the British in India. He escaped with his mountaineer collegue and walked to Tibet. This story is told in the movie Seven Years in Tibet. The town Knappenberg has a museum about his life and the culture of Tibet.