Besucherbergwerk Wodanstolln

Wodan-Stollen

Useful Information

Location:	Arbachstraße 28A, 57290 Neunkirchen. (50.7982869, 8.0187729)
Open:	closed. MAR to NOV last Sun 14-16. [2023]
Fee:	closed. Adults EUR 7, Children (-12) EUR 5. [2023]
Classification:	Iron Mine Adit
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1,5 km.
Guided tours:	L=1,200 m, D=90 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Besucherbergwerk Wodanstolln, Arbachstraße 28A, 57290 Neunkirchen, Tel: +49-151-40506006. E-mail: 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

1732	Wodanstolln excavated.
1800	Adit completed.
1910	mining in Wodanstolln ceased.
1920	Heidenberg and Rennseifen mines closed.
1925	to 1974 used by Salchendorf municipality for drinking water supply.
1944/45	used as air raid shelter.
1995	developed as a show mine by the local history society with support from the NRW Foundation "Nature Conservation, Local History and Cultural Preservation".
1997	opened as a show mine.
1999	former Zechenhaus rebuilt.

Geology

Description

The Besucherbergwerk Wodanstolln (Wodanstolln show mine) is sometimes also written as Wodan-Stollen, but the correct spelling is Wodanstolln. The show mine is operated by the Heimatverein Salchendorf e.V.. The non-profit association also included former miners, and so from 1995 to 1997, with funding from the NRW Foundation "Nature Conservation, Heritage and Cultural Preservation", the association developed the gallery into a show mine. The former Zechenhaus (mine building) was also rebuilt and is popularly known as the "Berghäuschen". The association conducts guided tours, which require warm clothing and sturdy shoes. Helmet and cape are provided. During the tour, various mining methods are explained, from mining with hammer and iron to compressed air-powered machines. The Zechenhaus houses a museum with numerous details of mining in the area.

There were about 52 mines in the Salchendorf area. The adit was started in 1732, as a so-called Tiefer Stollen (deep tunnel) of the Heidenberg and Rennseifen mines. The name suggests that it was a so-called Erbstollen (adit), that served to divert water from all higher-lying parts of the mine. Such tunnels connected the mine with a sometimes distant valley. Since mining could not take place below them, they were usually the deepest drift in the mine, hence the name "deep tunnel". The use of the tunnel for drinking water supply from 1925 to 1974 was possible as the tunnel collected water in the whole mine. It is quite unusual, however, since mine runoff always contains minerals from the ores, and in most cases these are unhealthy.

The adit connected the two mines Heidenberg and Rennseifen, served them as drainage and was also used for ore mining until 1910. The Heidenberg mine belonged to the Stahlseifen mine. Both mines were already in operation before 1732 and were closed down in 1920. Mining had its peak around 1860, when the Heidenberg pit produced 48 tons of brown and spar ironstone annually, and the Rennseifen mine produced 350 tons of brown and spar ironstone and 3.25 tons of chalcopyrite.

The name Wodanstolln is actually not official, actually four mine areas in the vicinity were called Wodan, more precisely Wodan I to Wodan IV. However, they had nothing to do with the adit. Nevertheless, the gallery was popularly called "Wodanstolln".