Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk

Useful Information

Location:	Wildschönau. E60 exit Wörgl, turn right B171 to city center, turn left onto road to Wildschönau. In Wildschönau turn right to Thierbach. On the Sauluag municipal road between Thierbach and Kundl. (47.4305617, 11.9723899)
Open:	closed. [2023]
Fee:	closed. [2023]
Classification:	Silver Mine
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	T=9 °C.
Guided tours:	D=30 min, Max=15.
Photography:
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Dr. Petra Streng (2016): Schaubergwerk Lehenlan - In der Wildschönauer Stollenwelt Museum des Monats Mai 2016, Land Tirol. pdf
Address:	Verein Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk, 6313 Wildschönau–Thierbach, Cell: +43-5339-2777. E-mail: Peter Weißbacher, Tel: +43-5339-2700. 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

1790	beginn of mining.
1861	mine closed.
1991	opened as a show mine.
2023	show mine closed.

Geology

Description

This show mine is named Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk (Wildschönau Show Mine), at least according to the wooden sign above the tunnel entrance. Unfortunately, it is also known by various other names, which can easily lead to confusion. These are the Schaubergwerk Wildschönau (Wildschönau Show Mine), Bergwerk Wildschönau Thierbach (Wildschönau Thierbach Mine), Silberbergwerk Lehenlahn (Lehenlahn Silver Mine) und Schaubergwerk Thierbach-Lehenlahn (Thierbach-Lehenlahn Show Mine). However, the sign on the footpath to the show mine takes it to the extreme, as it says Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk Thierbach Lehenlahn (Wildschönau Show Mine Thierbach Lehenlahn). The names Erlebnisbergwerk Lehenlahn (Lehenlahn Adventure Mine) and Erlebnisbergwerk Thierbach (Thierbach Adventure Mine) seem to have fallen out of use. The term "adventure mine" probably refers to the fact that there is a special exhibition for children and corresponding events such as fairy tale hours for children. The mine tour generally focuses on entertainment, with information about mining forming only the backbone.

The exhibition mine was operated by the non-profit association Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk. However, although they coped well with the first years of the coronavirus pandemic, the show mine was subsequently closed due to lack of volunteers. The entries for the exhibition mine have disappeared from the municipality’s websites and tourism portals, and the official website of the exhibition mine has disappeared. As far as we know, it is permanently closed. Nevertheless, we wish to retain the following description unchanged.

The Wildschönauer Schaubergwerk offers various attractions, like the Medieval mining tunnels, information about the work and the life of the miners, displays with Gezähe (miners tools) and different mining technologies. But it has an impressive exhibition on Tyrolian minerals and semi precious gems, which was created by the famous mineral collector Walter Ungerank. It includes minerals like rock crystal, Zillertal garnet, malachite, azurite, and breunerite.

From about 1450 to 1861, the Wildschönau area was the easternmost part of the once world-famous Schwaz mining area. Schwaz is also a show mine which is located in the Inn valley, 20 km southwest. In this area there were numerous ore deposits and numerous small mines. So-called "Arzschnüffler" (ore sniffers) examined the mountains everywhere for usable ore. In the area between Schwaz and Wörgl up to 22,000 miners were searching for "Fahlerz" (silver and copper). The mines influenced the life of the valley inhabitants for 400 years.

In front of the mines, in makeshift huts, elderly people and children used Scheidhämmer (sledge hammers) to separate the heavy ore and the surrounding rock. Bigger mines had an Arzpocher (stamp mill) which was powered by a water wheel. Then the ore was brought in leather sacks from the mines to the furnaces in Brixlegg and Kundl (Kundler Ofen). The transport by sleigh during winter was easier and was preferred, but also porters, hand hoists, pack animals or horse-drawn carriages were used. For use in the smelting furnaces, charcoal burned in the Wildschönau was also delivered in the same manner.