Bergbaumuseum Klagenfurt

Luftschutzstollen am Kreuzbergl - Felsenhalle


Useful Information

Location: Klagenfurt, Prof. Dr. Kahler-Platz 1. At the Botanic Garden. (46°37'41.87"N, 14°17'33.09"E)
Open: APR to OCT daiyl 9-18. [2007]
Fee: Adults EUR 5, Kärnten Card EUR 4, Seniors EUR 4, School pupils free, Students free.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 4.
[2007]
Classification: SubterraneaWorld War II Bunker
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: AR=3,000m².
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Bergbaumuseum Klagenfurt, Prof. Dr. Kahler-Platz 1, 9020 Klagenfurt, Tel: +43-463-511252, Fax: +43-463-51125215. 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

1942 construction of shelter start.
1944 construction completed.
1944/45 47 air raids.

Description

The Bergbaumuseum Klagenfurt (Mining Museum Klagenfurt) is a museum about mining in Kärnten (Carinthia), located in the Capital Klagenfurt. Although the topic of the museum is mining, we listed it as a subterranea, because the museum itself is located inside a subterranea, a World War II bunker. also called Luftschutzstollen am Kreuzbergl.

The Luftschutzstollen am Kreuzbergl (air raid shelter at the Kreuzbergl) was created for the protection of Klagenfurt civilians. The city was bombed 47 times, 70% of the buildings were destroyed, but "only" 512 people died during the air riads. This is a direct result of the existence of this bunker, which was a safe shelter for more than 7,000 people, although it was only planned for 1,800 people. There are even stories about 20,000 people taking shelter in the bunker once.

Today 3,000m² of the former bunker are used as underground exhibition space by the Bergbaumuseum Klagenfurt. It contains the history of mining in Kärnten (Carinthia), mineralogy, palaeontology, and a chapel for the miners patron Saint Barbara. In the far end one passage explains the history of the bunker itself. Highlight of the mineralogy exhibition is a cairngorm from Ankogel mountain, which is 1 m high and weighs 200kg.

The Felsenhalle is the hugest underground chamber of the museum. It is used for special exhibitions. Unlike the bunker the walls of this chamber are not covered by concrete, the walls show the natural rock face. This makes it an impressive location for various cultural events around the year, like the long night of the museum, dances by a local witch or the preformance of a story teller.