Traben-Trarbacher Unterwelt

Useful Information

Location:	Am Bahnhof 5, D-56841 Traben-Trarbach. (49.9514039, 7.1187122)
Open:	Easter to JUL Mon, Fri 17. AUG to OCT Mon, Thu, Fri 17, Sat 11. NOV to Easter 2nd and last Fri of month 10. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 12, Children (6-15) EUR 6. [2024]
Classification:	Cellar
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=12 °C.
Guided tours:	D=90 min, Max=25.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Tourist-Information Traben-Trarbach, Am Bahnhof 5, D-56841 Traben-Trarbach, Tel: +49-6541-83980. 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

Description

The Traben-Trarbacher Unterwelt (Traben-Trarbach Underworld) is an umbrella term that actually refers to a large number of cellars under the town. In the second half of the 19th century, there was a great demand for Riesling wines and exports, especially to Great Britain and overseas. During this time, 100 wine companies were founded and the capacity of the Traben-Trarbach wine cellars was increased. In the course of this, large areas of the town centre were covered with cellars, some of which were over 100 metres long. Around 1900, the Art Nouveau town on the Moselle was one of the most important wine trading towns, the second largest wine trading centre in Europe after the French city of Bordeaux.

The guided tour called Traben-Trarbacher Unterwelt offers the opportunity to visit various separate historical cellars. These are the Brückenkeller, the Säulenkeller in the Hotel Moselschlösschen, and the cellar in the Carl Emert winery, the former Ochs winery. The meeting point for the guided tours is the tourist information centre at the railway station. You will learn interesting facts about the history of viticulture, cellar technology, the winery business and the wine trade from the past and present. Some of these cellars are also available for celebrations, concerts and other events. There is also the annual Moselle Wine Night Market, which takes place in the Traben-Trarbach underground world.

It is very rare for underground sights to be accessible to the disabled. However, the guided cellars are all accessible without steps and all passageways are at least 90 cm wide. This is certainly due to the fact that these cellars date back to the late 19th century and were planned for a large throughput at the time. In other words, the wine casks should be as easy to transport as possible, and the absence of steps and wide passageways are a basic requirement for transport by trolley. Guided tours are offered for people with walking disabilities and wheelchair users.