Bergwerk Riedhof

Useful Information

Location:	Riedstrasse 16, 8914 Aeugstertal. Between Stallikon and Aeugstertal. From Affoltern a.A. through Mühleberg to Aeugstertal. (47.286506, 8.482329)
Open:	APR to OCT first Sat each month 10-16. [2022]
Fee:	Museum: Per Group (10-20 Persons) SFR 150, Per Group (20-40 Persons) SFR 200. Museum and Underground Tour: Per Group (10-20 Persons) SFR 300, Per Group (20-40 Persons) SFR 400. [2022]
Classification:	Coal Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=7,000 m.
Guided tours:	Museum: D=90 min, Min=10, Max=40. Museum and Underground Tour: D=3 h, Min=10, Max=40.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Bergwerk Riedhof, Riedstrasse 16, 8914 Aeugstertal, Tel: +41-43-322-8004. Verein Bergwerk Riedhof, c/o Beat Guggisberg, Lättenstrasse 15, 8914 Aeugst a.A., Tel: +41-44-760-25-37. 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

1786	a local farmer discovers the coal during road works.
1787	start of mining under governmental control.
1814	mining ended, as there was no sufficient transport infrastructure.
1917	mining reactivated because of World War I.
1919	after some changes of the proprietor, a building company from Zürich took over the mining.
1921	the mining ended leaving the building company with high indebtedness.
1942	mining again reactivated because of World War II.
1946	the production was higher than nearby Käpfnach.
15-MAY-2002	the Verein Bergwerk Riedhof was founded.
04-DEC-2003	museum opened to the public.

Description

The mining at this small coal mine was never really sufficient. The coal layers are very thin, and the necessary effort is rather high. During the 18th century, when labor was very cheap, the mining worked for some time. But the reactivation of the mining during World War I resulted in a great loss for the mining company after the war. During four years, with up to 30 miners, only 1,200 tons of coal were produced.

The Bergwerk Riedhof does not include an underground tour, but there is a strange fact about this museum. It is located inside a former Zivilschutzbunker (civil bunker), a bunker intended for the shelter of the locals during a future war. After the end of the cold war this bunker, like many others was abandoned and is now used by the mining museum. The entrance is a concrete stair right in the middle of a lawn. Some rooms were transformed into artificial mine rooms with authentic wooden supports.

The exhibits of the museum are very interesting, showing all aspects of the mining history. They include many pictures and documents of the World War II mining period.