Adventures in the old Silvermine

The miningsociety Alte Hoffnung Erbstolln says welcome to you with a Glück Auf .

Firmtours, classoutings, familyexcursions and –parties, grouptours: our mine is a place where you can have a romantic and (rustical) adventure together. You have only to test us !

Go into the mountain by boat with us and explore the trails of the past:

geography, history, technology.

Businesshours:

Sunday-Friday:       Only after enrolment in time 

Saturday:                Guided Tours: 10.00; 13.00

                                   Groups of more than 10 presons please enrol in time;

                                   out of these times nonly after enrolment in time.

Holidays:                Easter and Whitsun each except for Monday

                                   Guided Tours: 10.00 ; 13.00 ;

                                   Guided tours on other holidays only after enrolment in time;

                                   22.12.-01.01. closed !

You are looking for a special kind of experience, which unites romantic atmosphere, (rusticality), education and naturalness ?

Than you are right here !

We are the nonprofit society Alte Hoffnung Erbstolln e.V.and are looking for the mine Alte Hoffnung Erbstolln since 1978. In more than 140 212 unpaid working hours the members of our society reconstructed parts of the mine, to safe it for more expiration, in their freetime. With your admission fee you help us, that we can extend the mine for visitors and preserve the technical objects for the future. Why is that our goal ?

First in the 13^th century the mining was starting here. Some short workingperiods followed. From 1831 till 1885 the mining was in full bloom and could feed 300 Knappen. Here some interesting, technical solutions for the waterremoval had their first practical using. Of course the still standing aufschlagwassertechnische plant with its Röschensystem is unique. Also there are more interesting objects of the older workingperiods with geschlägelten Stolln und Abbauen in the area of the mine.

We want to go with you on a special trip through the mine on the traditional way. You go, with helmet, safing clothe and an original miners light, down into the mine to the former mechintechnical center of the mine. You must be able to climb over Fahrten (ladders), because you want to do it same as the old miners, dont you? You see impressive rooms and their installed stabilisators in good conditions, find real romantic on a boattrip into the mountain.For people, who have more special interrest in our mine and our work we have extensive literature and also different minerals and souvenirs.

For your stay in the miningarea after the guided tour we can recommend you restaurants,

walking trails or other, nearly excoursion destinations. Above all walking trips throug the romantical Mittleres Zschopautal(Middle Zschopau-Valley) are very recommendable, there you can see more objects of the mining history.

Our society is organizing special events like walking trips at daylight, guided tours at night or a christmas concert under the earth, as well.Please ask for the dates very early, because we have only a limited number of tickets for this events.

1843 the first turbin, working under the earth, in the mining area of Freiberg was used to move the pumps at Alte Hoffnung Erbstolln:

           The Kreiselradgezeug

The first turbin for moving pumps in a shaft, working under the earth, was constructed by

Braunsdorf & Brendel in 1839 like the father of the turbin,Benoit Fourneyron

(1802-1867), did it .

(Look at the drawing)

With the help of the entrace money, money and object donations and the regional administration we were able to rebuild this historical machine in the original size and at the old place.A visit to this place is part of the guided tour.

We need your help in different ways to reconstruct the whole mine.

Our standardroute     (Visitors from 6-75 years):

A tour of the newly-built Rollschachtkaue (Rollingshaftbuilding) with Scheidebank and rollingshaft.The drive-in you will do by boat and you will come out at the Eisenbahnstolln;you have to be able to climb 5 ladders; under the earth you can sit down in the socalled Steigerstube.You visit the turbin rooms with the Schützerstolln,and also you will see remains of the old pumping systems,the iron pump from 1871, pumps, made by wood, from the Kreiselradgezeug from 1843.And at last you will see the reconstructed Kunstwinkel with pumping pole systems.

From our mainbuilding over the mainshaft you have to walk down the mountain to the river Zschopau ca.300 meters.Getting the equipment, the visit itsself and giving back the equipment together will take 1,5 till 2 hours.For tours with entrace and exit only by boat you have to ask before, than we can organize this for you.

Admission fees for the standard route:

Children till 14 years:  4,50 €     Adults:    6,50 €         

Day exkursion through the complete area of the mine:

This tour is a though one: 6-8 hours after the the old miners in the complete area of our opened mine.

The visit starts ,like the old miners do it, in the socalled Betsstube of the former Huthaus of the mine.

Under the earth you visit the water-technologie systems (inclusive the standardroute), Linsgrube, Hermann-shaft, Diebshäusel-Stolln, Wildemann-Stolln, and finally you will see th socalled Neue Hoffnung Gottes-Stolln at the old Grubenwehr.

There must be at least 5 people. Only people over 12 years without Platzangst, but with own old clothes and boots. You have to enrol in time. You have to be very fit .There are some very small shafts.

Addmission fee/participant:  29,00 €

You need old clothes, dont come with white clothes. Use our protection-clothes. The temperature is around 8-11°C, the whole year. More advices you can get from the notices in the main building.

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