Montanmuseum Böckstein

Useful Information

Location:	Karl Imhof-Ring 12, 5645 Bad Gastein-Böckstein. (47.088026, 13.11398)
Open:	11-MAY to 28-SEP Tue-Sun 14:30-17:30. Technik einst und jetzt: 11-MAY to 28-SEP Tue, Thu 15. Goldwaschen: 06-JUN to 28-SEP Fri, Sun 10-14. [2025]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5, Children EUR 3. Technik einst und jetzt: Adults EUR 9, Children EUR 4. Goldwaschen: Adults EUR 7. [2025]
Classification:	Gold Mine Silver Mine
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Verein Montandenkmal Altböckstein, Karl Imhof-Ring 12, 5645 Bad Gastein-Böckstein, Tel. +43-660-663-22-16. info@montanmuseum-boeckstein.at
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

~1000	gold was found in the Gastein valley and a gold rush started.
1342	Archbishop Heinrich von Pyrnbrunn issued the first mountain regulation.
15th century	starting mining activities financed by the trading family Fugger from Augsburg.
16th-17th century	multiple mining activities in the Gastein valley between Sonnblick und Ankogel for gold and silver ore.
1557	the best mining year with a production of 830 kg of gold and 2723 kg of silver.
1616	Archbishop Markus Sittikus took over the mining, in order to give work to the unemployed miners.
1642	the mining became lukrative again, as new techniques like the use of explosives were introduced.
1741	mining plant in Altböckstein erected.
1864	Erste Gewerkschaft Radhausberg 1864 (First Trade Union Radhausberg 1864) founded.
1907	Erste Gewerkschaft Radhausberg 1864 gave up, Dr. Ing. Karl Imhot takes over the gold mining operation.
1981	Montanmuseum Altböckstein opened in the Salzstadl.
1993	Säumerstall renovated and opened as part of the museum.

Geology

The Radhausberg was folded during the formation of the Alps and suffered several planar fractures, in particular steep north-south-oriented faults caused by the stretching of the rocks in an east-west direction. During a disturbance, the two sides moved horizontally relative to each other, which is called a fault. The folding of the rocks made the rock package thicker and heavier. The high pressure mobilised non-ferrous metals and silicic acid from the Palaeozoic shales of the Habach Formation. These moved upwards in the fault zones. As they cooled near the surface, they solidified into a quartz-filled vein with metal ores. Quartz druses with isolated gold crystals also formed. A second tectonic movement led to further faults, but by then the temperature at depth was too low and the veins contained no gold. Miners therefore call them Fäulen (rotten).

During the last ice age, the Alps were covered by thick glaciers. About 12,000 to 10,000 years ago, this last cold period ended and the meltwater from the thawing glaciers eroded the mountains. Most of the gorges in the Alps were formed at that time. Large quantities of water also penetrated the faults, warm up in the depths and rise again. This hydrothermal cycle transports trace elements such as radium, chromium and fluorine upwards. In combination with fluorine salts, the metallic radium salts decay and form radon, attacking the gold-bearing veins and their metals. In addition, thermal springs form on the side of the mountain.

Historical mining operations excavated the gold-bearing veins from the summit to a depth of 400 metres. At that time, mining ceased because the technical capabilities at the time made it impossible to advance any further into the depths. This is where the transverse Wantschler Fäule was reached. Below, the gold had already been carried away by the convection of the thermal water, which is why the Paselstollen produced hot steam and radon but no gold.

Description

The Montanmuseum Böckstein is also known as the Montanmuseum Altböckstein because it is located in the village of Böckstein in the neighbourhood of Altböckstein. The museum was established in 1981 in a building called the Salzstadl (salt barn). The neighbourhood was actually supposed to be demolished in 1977, but this was prevented by the buildings being listed. At the suggestion of Fritz Gruber, a mining historian living in Böckstein, a museum association was founded in 1979. Under the direction of Peter Sika, the association renovated the Salzstadel in the following years and set up the museum. Here, the mining history of the Gastein Valley between Sonnblick and Ankogel is explained. In addition to mine trains and lorries, machines and tools, there are also various models of mining facilities, documents and photographs. One of the highlights is the original mining map of the Radhausberg from 1750.

Another part of the exhibition is located in the neighbouring Säumerstall, including a gold ore processing plant and the opportunity to pan for gold. The museum organises gold panning twice a week, but this takes place in the "Alte Pöck" behind the Hotel Evianquelle. The museum offers guided tours called Technology Then and Now, also twice a week. You can also visit the Nassfeld hydroelectric power station, built in 1911 by Dr. Ing. Karl Imhof. This also has a close connection to mining, as it was used to electrify gold mining in Nassfeld. And then there is the Ullmannlehen, one of the oldest surviving farmhouses in the Eastern Alps. It is primarily a local history museum, but also has a very beautiful mineral exhibition.

Altböckstein came into existence as a result of a massive avalanche that destroyed the ore processing plant in Peck on 14 January 1741. Altböckstein was then planned as a Baroque architectural ensemble and built between 1745 and 1764. It is therefore an artificial mining settlement. A water channel, the administrator's house, the salt barn, workers' accommodation and a bathhouse were built. The so-called Säumerstall was built as a stable for the pack horses and the bag carriers' companion dogs. The area between the Säumerstall and the residential building was used to dry the ore bags. It was renovated in 1993 and added to the museum as an extension. For this purpose, a functional ore processing plant was set up according to old plans. Machines of this type were used to crush ore-bearing rock and separate the waste rock from the gold particles by means of a washing process followed by an amalgamation process.