Stollnsystem »Am Graben«


Useful Information

Location: Graben 4, Kirchberg. Signposted in the historic centre of Kirchberg. Parking at the town hall.
(50.621118, 12.525099)
Open: By appointment only.
Opening days: Kirchberg Stadtfest, Altstadtfest early OCT, Christmas market on the 1st Advent, Open Monument Day 2nd Sunday in SEP.
[2021]
Fee: Erwachsene 3 EUR, Kinder 2 EUR.
[2021]
Classification: MineIron Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: NABU Ortsgruppe Kirchberg, Wolfgang Prehl, Innungsstraße 18, 08107 Kirchberg, Tel: +49-37602-6032, Tel: +49-37602-65666. 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

1663 Beginning of mining in the Grabenstolln.
1709 Town of Kirchberg receives the Bergfreiheit (status as mining town).
1712 Mining in the Grabenstolln ceases.
1719 Bergfreiheit lost.
18th century Expansion and connection of the lower and upper gallery by the Kirchberg brewers for storage purposes.
1943 Expansion to an air-raid shelter.
1980s because it is used as a garbage dump, the entrance is walled up.
2000 local NABU group uncovers the pit.
06-OCT-2001 Visitor mine gallery system "Am Graben" opened.
2008 Expansion of the Gezähekammer.
2010 adjacent Hoffnungsstolln connected by crosscut.

Geology


Description

The mining history of Kirchberg is rather short, the town only had the mining freedom for ten years between 1709 and 1719. According to old documents, three tunnels are said to have once existed. The local NABU group researched this town history and found what they were looking for in the former pub Felsenkeller (Rock Cellar). The owner was enthusiastic and became a NABU member. Between 2000 and 2001, the association uncovered the old mine and opened it as a show mine. The parallel Hoffnungsstolln was also rediscovered and connected to the show mine by a crosscut. The extension was opened in 2010. The original tunnel entrance is located in the Moritz-Unger-Allee. The third gallery, the Geiersbergstolln, was also rediscovered. It is located at the old town moat of Kirchberg and is closed with a iron bar gate. As it is only 5 m long, it can be completely seen from the lattice.

The exhibition mine also has a Bergwerkskaue (mine hut) at the mouth of the tunnel, which contains an exhibition on geology and mining history. The Gezähekammer (gear room) is used to store helmets and lamps for visitors. The exhibition mine does not have regular opening hours; groups can register with the chairman of the Kirchberg NABU group. However, the show mine is open all day on three days a year and during local events. In addition, every year on the Friday before Christmas Eve, there is a typical Erzgebirge Mettenschicht for the Kirchberg nature and heritage enthusiasts. This event has been a tradition since the opening year in 2001.

The NABU or Naturschutz Bund is one of the two big non-profil nature protection associations in Germany. It is organized into local groups with volunteer members, which work on all kinds of nature protection projects. The local group at Kirchberg protects local mining history, but also bats and important biotopes in the area. There are actually two sub-groups, one for the biotopes and one for the history.