Tiefer Molchner Stollen

Zum tiefen Molchner Stolln

Useful Information

Location:	Amtsseite Dorfstraße 67, 09496 Marienberg OT Pobershau. A4 Eisenach-Dresden exit Chemnitz-Nord, or A72 Hof Chemnitz exit Chemnitz-Süd. B174 towards Zschopau-Marienberg. In Marienberg B171 towards Olbernhau. 5 km after Marienberg turn right on road to Pobershau. (50.6370419, 13.2168811)
Open:	All year Tue-Sun, Hol 10-16, tours 10, 11:30, 13, 14:30, 16. [2026]
Fee:	Adults EUR 8, Children (4-18) EUR 4. Groups (15+): Adults EUR 7, Children (4-18) EUR 3. [2026]
Classification:	Iron Mine Silver Mine Tin Mine SDAG Wismut
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=45 min, Min=2, MinAge=4.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Schaubergwerk Molchner Stolln, Amtsseite Dorfstraße 67, 09496 Marienberg OT Pobershau, Tel: +49-3735-62522. 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

1484	first written mention of mining in the area.
1529	Drey Molchen Fundgrube first mentioned.
1540	highest production of the mine.
1866	mine closed.
1934	developed as a show mine.
1935	show mine opened to the public.
1936-1938	geologic exploration.
1947-1954	mining by the SDAG Wismut.
1959	reopening of the show mine.

Geology

In the Marienberg county the bedrock consists of varios kinds of gneiss. There is paragneiss which is the metamorphization of sedimentary rock and is locally called Graugneis (grey gneiss). And there is orthogneiss derived from an igneous rock, which is called Rotgneis (red gneiss). Those highly metamorphic rocks are of Precambrian age. The rock is full of lamprophyre dykes with are between 20 cm and 6 m wide and run northwest to southeast. They contain high amounts of limestone and calcite minerals with crystals up to 10 cm in size. Those dykes are called Kalkgänge (limestone dykes) by the old miners.

A second system of dykes are the ore dykes, which run east to west. These are polymetallic dykes with a complex structure. They may contain high amounts of tin or tungsten, or a combination of bismut, cobalt, nickel and silver. The ores change frequently, the geologists call this paragenesis. The internal structure of the dykes is complicated and the ores change in a few centimeter. And there are also numerous minerals. There is pyrargyrite, argentite, silver, proustite, flourite, and baryte. Frequently green and blue fluorite crystals are found. The two most famous dykes with this structure are the 1,600 m long Molchner Spat and the 1,300 m long Ursula Spat.

There is also a third family of ore dykes, running northwest to southeast. They contain hematite, an iron ore. The dykes are several meters wide and may contain amounts of quartz with the ore. They are almost layered, changing between high grade ore and quartz. The dykes also contain quartz crystals and amethyst.

Description

Ehrenfriedersdorfer Radpumpe, In: **Georgius Agricola** (1555): **De Re Metallica Libri II**, p. 158.

The two mines Drey Molchner Spat and Ursula Spat were the most productive mines in the Marienberg mining district during the 16th century. They produced almost half of the total amount of silver produced in the whole mining district. The two veins called 5th and 8th Maß in the mine Molchner Spat were very productive. And the silver mining reached decent depths, for example, in St. Ursula mine a depth of 430 m in 1575. With the Thirty Years War the mining came to a halt, and afterward the former depths were never reached again.

At the beginning of the 17th century, primary tin was mined. At the end of the 18th century, arsenopyrite was mined to produce Arsenmehl (arsenic flour), also named Giftmehl (poison flour). In 1866 the tin mining ended, and in 1886 the last mine was closed. Later various attempts were made to resurrect the mining, but none was rentable. In 1928 there was a short time of mining. From 1936 to 1939 the Gewerkschaft Saxonia Bavaria explored the mining district Zinnerne Flasche. The idea was obviously to find resources for the imminent war, but without result. And finally, between 1947 and 1954, the SDAG Wismut was mining for uranium ore, again without luck.

For the visit of the mine the visitors are equipped with a helmet and a raincoat to protect the clothes. The tunnel, which is named Molchner Stolln, leads to a huge chamber where the veins was mined for a length of 30 m and a height of 13 m. Here the mining techniques are explained, like the setting of fires to brittle the rocks. A blind shaft which once went down 52 m is today filled with water.

One highlight of the tour is the Kunstgezeug in the Reichelschacht, the old miner term means a wooden system of pumps used to drain the mine. The water is lifted from the sump by a series of 7 m high pumps until the adit is reached, through which the water flows out of the mine with gravity. Here the power source is located, a water wheel, and the water driving the wheel is also flowing out of the adit. To power the wheel, a huge amount of water is needed, which was brought to the mine by a system of canals on the surface. This mine was fed by the Grüner Graben (green canal), which was built between 1678 and 1680.

An exhibition gives some insights into the work of the Wismut SDAG after World War II. The GDR had to pay reparations to the Soviet Union in the form of Uranium. The mining company which was ordered to mine the uranium was named Wismut (bismuth), a Cold War code name. They were not interested in bismuth at all. The mining was reactivated here for some years, but no uranium was found.

There are numerous geotopes inside the mine. It gives an interesting insight into the complex structure of the ore veins.

Until a few years ago, the mine offered special guided tours lasting 2.5 hours. These no longer seem to be available, but if you are interested, you might want to enquire directly first; in the past, these tours were only offered to groups by prior arrangement. However, there do appear to be two special tours available for individual visitors: the ‘schnapps tour’ and the ‘miner’s kerchief tour’, both for a small additional charge. In addition, Mettenschichten – an old miners’ custom – are held in the adit. On the last shift before Christmas Eve, prayers were said and miners’ songs were sung to ask for the mountain’s blessing. This was accompanied by a simple yet hearty meal down in the mine. Today, this takes the form of a generous meat platter with sausages, ‘Knacker’ (a type of sausage), cheese, bacon fat, gherkins and fresh bread, accompanied by songs from the Ore Mountains and traditional folk songs. The dates are not immediately before Christmas, but are spread out over the Advent season. They are usually fully booked half a year in advance, but it’s worth putting your name on the waiting list. Experience shows that some participants do cancel when the time comes.

One more tip: a little further south at the Kulturpark, on the Amtsseite-Dorfstraße, there is a crushing mill and a capstan. Both are more or less freely accessible and are of interest as reminders of the mining history.