Schaubergwerk Sunfixl-Höhle

Useful Information

Location:	Hemmerberg 36a, 8573 Hemmerberg. A2 Süd Autobahn, exit 200 Mooskirchen, B70 towards Mooskirchen, 17 km to Rosental an der Kainach, turn right L341, 5 km to Freisinggraben, turn left towards Piberegg, 1.2 km, turn right towards "Hemmerberg Nr. 32", 1.7 km. 500 m/10 min walk. (47.1095942, 15.1007942)
Open:	MAI to NOV reservation mandatory. [2025]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5, School Pupils EUR 2, Children (0-5) free, Students EUR 2, Apprentices EUR 2, Families (2+*) EUR 10. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 4, Children (6-15) free. [2025]
Classification:	Rock Mine, Room and Pillar Mining
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	L=125 m, W=83 m, Ar=10.375 m².
Guided tours:	D=1 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:	Ernst Lasnik (2002): Schleifsteine und Architekturteile vom Hemmerberg im oberen Kainacht, In: Mitteilungsblatt der Korrespondenten der Historischen Landeskommission für Steiermark, Heft 8, Graz 2002, S. 155-162. Herausgeber: Robert F. Hausmann pdf
Address:	Gemeindeamt, Kainach 19, 8573 Kainach, Tel: +43-3148-236. E-mail: Norbert Marhold, Tel: +43-650-2607084. Erwin Kraus, Tel: +43-664-3128933.
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

1798	first mentioned by Josef Carl Kindermann.
1937	entrance blocked by rockfall.
1991	middle entrance excavated.
1992	The mining management of the Graz-Köflach Railway and Mining Company draws up a site plan.
1998	the eastern entrance, which was still collapsed, was opened.
2001	Montanhistorischer Wanderweg (mining history hiking trail) established.

Geology

The Gosau Group is a sequence of marls, sandstones, limestones and conglomerates in the Northern Limestone Alps and the eastern Central Alps. They were deposited between the Upper Cretaceous and the Early Tertiary (Eocene). Sedimentation took place in an intramountain basin.

Description

Sunfixl-Höhlen (Sunfixl Caves), also known as Sonnfixl-Höhlen, is a colloquial term derived from the name of the nearby Sunfixl farm and the cavities, which were simply referred to as caves. Today, however, the singular form is more common, and the official website of the town of Krainach even uses Sunfixlhöhle without a hyphen. The sign at the entrance shows yet another variation, which reads Sunfixl-Sandsteinabbau (Sunfixl Sandstone Quarry). Despite its name, it is not a cave, but an underground sandstone quarry. In fact, during its operating period, the quarry was called Kohlschwarz Sandstone Quarry. The municipality of Kohlschwarz was actually just an umbrella term for a dozen farms and alpine pastures on the southern slope of the Kohlschwarzkogel (930 m above sea level). It was merged with Kainach bei Voitsberg in 2015 and therefore no longer exists.

First mentioned in the 18th century, this was a place where grindstones were mined. Located high up at the mountain was a layer of hard quartz rich sandstone, which was ideal for many purpuses. Unfortunately the layer went into the mountain, so the workers followed it underground. And unfortunately the mountain in front of the mine was very steep, so it was problematic to transport the millstones down into the valley. They were mounted on a sledge and lowered down a trench until they reached the road below.

Most of the grindstones were produced for iron producing firms, for sharpening scythe or for workshops. It was also used for mills, door frame, stairs or graves. A typical year like 1911 saw the production of 21 big grindstones, 14 small ones less than one metre diameter, 13 pig feeders, 1 plate for a well, 30 grindstoned for fruits, 2 garden pillars, 55 tiles, 3 steps and a number of kerbstones. The stones were delivered to customers in Austria and northern Italy. During the First World War, sales figures were rather low, and mining was finally discontinued in 1929 and the mine closed. After the Second World War, production was continued by two miners, Mr Castori and the so-called Stiedlbauer. They primarily produced grinding stones for the hammer and sickle factory of Krenhof AG in Gradenberg. At some point in the 1950s, mining was discontinued and the two entrances were sealed.

The Sunfix Cave has three entrances, the right-hand one of which is inaccessible as it was blocked by a rockslide in 1937. The middle entrance was closed and partially collapsed, but was excavated again in 1991. However, this was not done by mining enthusiasts or an association, as is usually the case, but by the mayor of the former municipality of Kohlschwarz. Later, the eastern entrance was also opened. The development as a show mine took place on the occasion of the Styrian provincial exhibition Mythos Pferd (Myth of the Horse) in 2001. The guided tour route was created by the West Styrian folklorist Ernst Reinhold Lasnik. This may be one reason for the somewhat curious name: the tour is not called a "tour path" as is usual, but a Montanhistorischer Wanderweg (mining history hiking trail). Some people think that there is another themed trail on the surface, but it is actually the underground "hiking trail" which is meant.

This is not a typical mine, especially not for Austria, where most deposits are lodes and thus rather narrow. Here is an almost horizontal layer of sandstone, rather thick and mined in a sort of room and pillar way. The passages are wide and high enough to walk upright. The floor and the ceiling are almost planar, as they are the layer boundaries of the rock. The millstone were produced by using a single thick layer of sandstone and removing the layers above and below. This can easily be seen during a visit. The numerous steps in the production of grindstone is detailed during the tour with many pictures. There are tools and machinery which were used during the mining.

The Sunfixlhöhle has had unchanged admission prices for over 20 years, which is truly exceptional. Unfortunately, the opening hours have changed. Previously, it was open all year round and had fixed opening hours, but now you have to make an appointment by telephone. This is now common practice, but it has the disadvantage that you can't just drop in on holiday, and tourists who don't speak German find it difficult. If you have any problems with calling, you can email the municipality of Kainach bei Voitsberg. In contrast, the Sunfixl Heuriger (Sunfix Wine Pub), located directly next to the tunnel, is open all year round on weekends, and there is even live music on Sundays.