Sopron Bányászati Múzeum

Sopron Mining Museum - Központi Bányászati Múzeum - Central Mining Museum


Useful Information

Location: 9400 Ödenburg, Templom utca 2.
At Sopron, in the city center, no parking, pedestrian zone. From Györ M85 (E84) exit Sopron. From Vienna, Austria A3/B16.
(47.686264, 16.590385)
Open: Központi Bányászati Múzeum: All year Tue-Sun 10-18.
Bányászati Emlékház Brennbergbánya: MAY to SEP Wed-Sun 10-14.
[2022]
Fee: Központi Bányászati Múzeum: Adults HUF 900, Students (6-26) HUF 500, Children (0-5) free, Disabled free, Seniors (62+) 500, Seniors (70+) free.
Bányászati Emlékház Brennbergbánya: Adults HUF 500, Children HUF 250.
[2022]
Classification: SubterraneaMining Museum MineCoal Mine SubterraneaReplica Underground Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:  
Address: Sopron Bányászati Múzeum, Sopron, Templom u. 2., Tel: +36-99-312-667, Fax: +36-99-338-902. 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

1753 coal in Brennbergbánya discovered by a shepherd from Banfalva, who saw a miracle of burning stones.
1789 Wenceslas Schneider is the first who operates a successful mine.
1840 first steam engine conveyor shaft built.
1952 mine closed.
1957 Mining Memorial Museum Brennberg founded.
OCT-1957 Central Mining Museum opened to the public.
2001 awarded the title "Museum of the Year".

Description

The Bányászati Múzeum Sopron (Sopron Mining Museum) is the central mining museum of Hungary, hence it is also called Központi Bányászati Múzeum (Central Mining Museum). It has a huge collection of 4,110 pieces of applied arts items connected with mining, including a Lord Chamberlain's stick. There is an industrial and technological history exhibition with 1,380 exhibits, which includes tools, instruments and models. And there is a natural science exhibition with 2,500 pieces including a vast mineral collection.

The Central Mining Museum is located in a Medieval building which was owned by the Esterházy family during the 18th century. They placed their coat of arms over the gate, which can be seen until today. In the 19th century it was purchased by the city, and became a mining museum, researching historical and contemporary mining. Contemporary means until World War I, because the changes of the lost war and the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire also changed the museum fundamentally. However, the exhibition presents the mining of the entire Carpathian Basin since prehistoric times until World War I. The central ceremonial hall contains minig related artworks like paintings, sculptures and jewellery. Outstanding are the painting and sketch by Árpád Feszty of the mining disaster and the Esterházy mining coffin. The engineering part of the exhibition includes moving models of mining machinery. Another topic is the generation and use of energy in mining. An exhibition on the history of money does not seem mining related at the first glimpse, but actually the value of gold is a result of the efforts necessary to mine it. And of course, money aka coins were made of the mined gold and silver. Other exhibitions start with flint mining, show various mining tools, lamps, ores and minerals, and of course various multimedia installations. There is a free wifi in the museum, so it is possible to download explanations with the smartphone.

The museum also contains three mine replicas, full size reconstructions of mines which give an impression how it actually looked like. One is the replica of a prehistoric flint-mine, where our ancestors mined the flint for tools and weapons. There is also a replica of low and narrow medieval mine tunnels. And then there is the replica of a mine tunnel from the early 20th century. Quite spectacular is the model of a hydraulic buckler, with all its internal parts and pieces.

Sopron became a center of mining education after World War I. Banská Stiavnica was the former center of mining education, but after the Peace Treaty of Trianon it was no longer part of Hungary. So the Mining Engineering Faculty moved to Sopron.

The Bányászati Emlékház (Mining Memorial House) is located in Brennbergbánya, Óbrennbergi u. 14. The museum is located in the engine room of the first steam engine conveyor shaft from 1840. The exhibition shows the begin and development of the mine, the daily life of miners, and a reconstructed miners housing. The Brennberg Mine was located in the small town Brennberg, only a few kilometers southwest of Sopron. It was one of the most important coal mining sites in Hungary for more than 200 years. The first-class coal from this mine was extraordinary, the requirements to mine it also. This was the deepest mine in the country with the most difficult technical problems in the country. According to legend the coal was discovered in 1753 by a shepherd from Banfalva, who saw a miracle of burning stones. The blacksmith János György Rieder was not frightened, as a blacksmith he knew about coal and how to use it in his workshop. The beginn was difficult, there were several booms, failures, restarts, shutdowns, and frequent tenant changes. Wenceslas Schneider was the first who operated a successful mine from 1789. The production continually grew, so did the workforce, the mine also grew and extended underground across the border into Austria. In 1952, the mine was finally closed.