St. Anna Fundgrube

Useful Information

Location:	Zur Papierfabrik 13, 09212 Limbach-Oberfrohna. From Wolkenburg follow the road Zur Papierfabrik towards Herrnsdorf. After the Bergamtshaus (former house of the mine management) park at parking lot. Follow Muldental-Radwanderweg to the mine entrance. (50.8981459, 12.6596247)
Open:	Easter Monday 10-16. Pentecost Monday 10-16. Bergquartal 10-14. Tag des Geotops 10-16. 03-OCT 10-16. 31-OCT 10-16. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5. [2024]
Classification:	Sand Mine Copper Mine Lead Mine
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=45 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	M. Pitschel (1993): Das Wolkenburger Bergbaugebiet und seine Mineralien Min.-Welt, Jg.4, Nr.5, S.6. H. Krümmer (2000): Der Wolkenburger Silberbergbau von 1345 bis 1841 herausgegeben von der AG Altbergbau/Geologie Westsachsen e.V.
Address:	Arbeitsgemeinschaft Altbergbau & Geologie Westsachsen e.V., Bergamtshaus, Zur Papierfabrik 10, 09212 Limbach-Oberfrohna, OT Wolkenburg. E-mail: Request for tours: P. Schurmann, Tel: +49-3722-403495. 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

1350	beginning of mining.
1943	used as air-raid shelter.
1980	start of excavation of the tunnel.
2000	St.-Anna-Fundgrube approved as a show mine.

Geology

The Wolkenburg mining district is a rather small area between the villages of Niederwinkel, Uhlsdorf, Herrnsdorf and Wolkenburg. Copper, lead and silver ore veins were mined here from the 14th century.

Description

The show mine St. Anna Fundgrube (Saint Anne Mine) is located south of Wolkenburg. It is a Medieval mine with the first mining phase between 12th and 15th century. The ore is located in a cleft or dyke and so the mine follows the dyke, which was almost completely removed by the mining operation. The typical thechnology of this early mining is locally called Strossenbau (stoping) and means different steps on which the ore was removed horizontally. Right at the entrance of the mine is an example for such an Strossenbau which is at least 13 m deep. The ground is still unknown, the lower part is waterfiled and has been explored by cave divers, but they have not reached the ground yet.

From the 15th century on a new mining technique became popular, called Firstenbau (overhand stoping). The Firste is the ceiling of the tunnel, and the ore was simply removed from the ceiling, so it fell into the Hunt (trolley) simply by gravitation. This was the pro-side, the con side was the need to fill in the floor continually or to build wooden walking bridges.

The visitor mine "St. Anna Fundgrube" is located in the Wolkenburg mining district, in the valley of the Zwickauer Mulde between the towns of Penig and Waldenburg. The mining district around the Ullersberg between Wolkenburg and Niederwinkel is one of the oldest ore mining districts in Saxony. It had its heyday in the first and second mining periods (1280-1350 and 1512-1590). The names of 26 pits have survived, but unfortunately no details and in particular no hard facts or surveys. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Altbergbau & Geologie Westsachsen e.V. has been researching the history and evidence of mining since 1980. They have also opened up two tunnels, St. Anna Fundgrube and the Segen Gottes Erbstollen, and made them accessible to the public as show mines. They have also set up a small museum on the history of mining and the mineralogy of the region in the oldest building in the village, the former Bergamtshaus (mining office building).