Besucherbergwerk Marie Louise Stolln


Useful Information

Location: Talstraße 2 A, 01819 Kurort Berggießhübel.
From Dresden A17 exit 7 Bahretal, towards Neundorf 3.7 km, turn right to Berggießhübel.
(50.875010, 13.949540)
Open: All year Wed-Sun, Hol 10-18.
School holidays: daily 10-18.
Arrive 15 minutes before scheduled begin.
Closed 24-DEC, 25-DEC, 26-DEC, 31-DEC, 01-JAN.
ExplainPost-pandemic Aftermath
[2023]
Fee: Adults EUR 12, Children (5-16) EUR 10, Families (2+3) EUR 39.
Groups (16+): Adults EUR 11.
[2023]
Classification: MineIron Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: T=8-10 °C, H=80%.
Guided tours: L=850 m, D=90 min, MinAge=5. Deutsch - German Text available on paper: English Česky - Czech Nederlands - Dutch
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Kurgesellschaft Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel mbH, Besucherbergwerk "Marie Louise Stolln", Talstraße 2 A, 01819 Kurort Berggießhübel, Tel: +49-35023-52980. E-mail: contact
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

1230 area settled by German miners, start of iron mining and processing.
1300 village Gottleuba founded as a miners town.
1404 area conquered by the Wettin family.
19-MAY-1418 first written mention of mining at the Gottleuba river.
1447 first written mention of ores near Berggießhübel, old name was Gißhobel.
1459 border quarrels settled by Kurfürst Friedrich II in the Vertrag von Eger (treaty of Eger).
1466 indepenent Bergamt (board of mines) with Bergmeister (head of mines).
1590 the chronist Petrus Albinus praises the quality of the iron and introduces the term Pirnisch Eisen.
1618 mining ended by the 30 Years War.
1717 first mineral spring Johann-Georg-Brunnen discovered.
1726 Friedrich Erbstolln (Marie Louise Stolln) started.
1731 tax on wood, which is necessary to process the iron ore, increases the cost and makes mining unprofitable.
1813 marauding troops destroy mines and furnaces, end of mining.
1819 mining revived by Detlev Graf von Einsiedel.
1876-1878 europaweite Stahlüberproduktionskrise bringt den Bergbau zum Erligen.
1892 ores mined out, mines closed.
1964 increasing number of collapses of old mine tunnels.
1970 mines safeguarded by the Bergsicherung Dresden.
2003 start of the development of the show mine.
2006 show mine opened to the public.

Geology

The ore deposits of the Erzgebirge are generally ore veins or ore stacks. Both types of deposits cut through the surrounding rock, so they do not follow stratification. The Berggießhübel district is an exception. This is a Skarn ore deposit, i.e. a layered ore deposit up to several metres thick. However, this is not a sedimentary deposit formed with the rock, but a result of the transformation of a marble layer by thermal water. The chemical reaction of the metal-containing solution with the marble caused a dissolution of the marble and at the same time a precipitation of iron ores. Thus, the marble layer was replaced by the iron ore.

The Berggießhübel iron and copper ore deposit is part of the Elbe Valley Slate Mountains. It is therefore a geologically and tectonically independent rock complex. It forms the transition between the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) in the west and the Lausitzer Block (Lusatian Block) in the east. Simplified, the Osterzgebirge consists of gneiss, the Westlausitz of granites and granodiorites, but this area consists of schist. It is also overlain by the mighty sandstones of the Elbsandsteingebirges (Elbe Sandstone Mountains).

Description

Located in the town with the strange name Berggießhübel, the Marie Louise Stolln is today used as a show mine. The mine is often listed as part of the Ore Mountains, but this is actually not correct. It is the only show mine in Saxon Switzerland, so it belongs to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Located on the west bank of the Elbe, it lies vis-à-vis the spectacular sandstone cliffs. The Langenhennersdorf rock labyrinth is only 5 km away. There is a small mining museum with film screenings in the entrance area, which is open to the public free of charge. A mine train with trolleys and other machines in the outdoor area date from the time of SDAG WISMUT after the Second World War.

The Marie Louise Stolln, which is now used as a show mine, was excavated in 1726 as an adit, i.e. to drain the mine. It therefore rises gently into the mine, in earlier times, the mine water flowed out of the mine through this gallery without pumping. The canal on the floor was concreted for the show mine. It is nevertheless a historic gallery which was cut by hand during the 18th century, which is why it is only 1.60 m high and 65 cm wide in some places. After 400 m the visitors reach the former iron ore deposit, the Mutter-Gottes-Lager (Mother of God deposit). The large room is the result of iron ore mining. There is also a large underground lake here, which glows greenish due to underwater lighting. This is a deeper part of the mine that was flooded after the pumps were turned off.

In addition to the regular guided tours, the show mine regularly hosts treasure hunts, concerts, readings, Mettenschichten and other events. Mettenschichten (mead shifts) are based on the old mining tradition of the last shift before Christmas, when the miners used to call it a day and eat a festive meal together inside the mine. The menu consists of soup, potato salad, sausages, brown bread, Speckfett (bacon grease) and sour gherkins, in the afternoon with grease puddings, Stollen and biscuits. These Mettenschichten take place during the Christmas season. The mine can also be hired for children's birthday parties with gemstone washing and for other private celebrations. For all events it is necessary to register online. This also applies to the normal guided tour of the show mine. If there are still places available, you can register for guided tours until 9 am on the day in question. It seems that this restrictive regulation is due to Corona, but perhaps it will be relaxed again once the pandemic is over. Unfortunately, it also means that opening hours are no longer fixed, dates for guided tours and events are entered into the online booking system. Therefore, the opening hours given above can unfortunately only be regarded as a general guideline.