Terra Mystica

Useful Information

Location:	Antoniweg 5, 9530 Bad Bleiberg. Near Villach, at Austrian the border to Italy. A10 exit 172 Villach West, follow Tiroler Straße towards town center, after 1 km turn right, after 800 m turn right onto Bleiberger Straße, 7 km to Bad Bleiberg, 1 km more to Nötsch. A2 exit 364 Hermagor, B111 towards Hermagor, turn right after after 4 km through Nötsch Im Gailtal 5 km to Nötsch. (46.628806, 13.648817)
Open:	Terra Mystica: MAY to JUN daily 11, 13. JUL to AUG daily 9:30-15. SEP to OCT daily 11, 13. NOV to APR Sat 15. Terra Montana: MAY to JUN Tue, Fri 15. JUL to AUG Tue, Fri 16. SEP to OCT Tue, Fri 15. [2025]
Fee:	Terra Mystica: Adults EUR 22,50, Children (4-14) EUR 12,50. Families: Adults EUR 20, Children (4-14) EUR 10. Terra Montana: Adults EUR 22,50, Children (4-14) EUR 12,50. Families: Adults EUR 20, Children (4-14) EUR 10. Kombiticket Terra Mystica and Terra Montana: Adults EUR 30, Children (4-14) EUR 15. Terra Humoristika und Montanmuseum: Erwachsene EUR 5, Kinder frei. [2025]
Classification:	Lead Mine
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	MinAge=4. Terra Mystica: D=90 min. Terra Montana: D=2 h.
Photography:
Accessibility:	yes, book by phone
Bibliography:
Address:	SBW Terra Mystica & Montana Schaubergwerks GmbH, Antoniweg 5, 9530 Bad Bleiberg, Tel: +43-4244-2255. 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

800 BC	oldest burial objects made of lead suggest early lead mining.
1333	first written mention as "Pleyperg pey Villach".
1480	early heydays of mining, some mines purchased by the Fugger family from Augsburg, furnace consructed.
1538	more than 500 miners working in the lead mines.
1556	description of Kärntner Verfahren (Carinthian method) by Agricola.
1603	Bleiberg mentioned by Paracelsus.
1717	miners from Bleiberg fight at Belgrade and recieve a flag from Prinz Eugen, the oldest miner’s flag of the world.
1759	Maria Theresia buys mines in the area.
1867	Bleiberger Bergwerks Union (BBU) founded.
1902	BBU owns all lead mines in Kärnten.
1925	mining heyday because of after war demands.
1931	mines closed because of worldwide economic crisis.
1932	mining reactivated.
1945	mines closed because of World War II.
1946	BBU socialised.
1951	Thermal water in Grube Rudolf.
1978	Bleiberg builds spa, gets the title Bad.
1987	prices for lead and zinc start to fall.
1989	Terra Mystica opened in Rudolfschacht.
1990	Heilklimastollen "Friedrich" opened.
1993	mining ends.
1994	Terry Mystica closed and moved to Antonischacht.
1995	Terra Mystica reopened.
2002	show mine Terra Montana started.
29-APR-2005	Terra Montana opened.

Geology

Description

The Terra Mystica and Terra Montana are the remains of a world-famous lead mining area, which was closed as a result of falling lead prices and exhausted mines. The mining had difficulties since the mid 1980s and the mining company started to develop alternatives. The discovery of thermal water during the mining in one shaft lead to the creation of a spa, the town received the title Bad (spa) in 1978. In 1990 a Heilklimastollen was opened, which is used for curing various illnesses. Finally, the mining history itself became a tourist attraction.

The highlight of the tour, at least for the children, comes right at the beginning: a 68 m long slide. These are normally only seen in salt mines, but this slide is said to have actually been used by miners to change levels very quickly. This slide is also said to be the longest in Europe. Visitors who do not want to slide down may use the stairs or the elevator. Once at the bottom, the paths, Terra Mystica and Terra Montana, divide, but they meet at the end at a shaft lift that transports visitors 49 metres up to the surface.

Terra Mystica is a kind of theme park on the subject of mining, with a series of scenes depicting various mining-related stories. There are fairy tales, eroticism, art, multimedia and an underground concert hall. They talk about "seven mines" whatever that means. One of the highlights, however, is the waterwheel hoisting machine from 1831, which was faithfully recreated in 2000. The water power of a waterwheel was used to extract the ore from the mine.

Terra Montana is a somewhat more traditional show mine. After the slide, the mine railway takes you 2 km on a 700 m long circuit. The local mining industry, from 800 BC to its closure in 1993, is vividly presented in 14 stations. The mining machines on display are in working order and some are demonstrated. In other words, this is the traditional show mine tour. Strangely enough, it seems to be much less popular than the other one. It is now only offered two days a week.

In addition to the underground tours, there is also the Mining Museum on the surface, where 700 years of mining history are presented in photographs, documents and with various tools. There is also a section in the museum that shows caricatures under the name Terra Humoristika. And finally, you can buy minerals from the mine in the Mineralienshop (mineral shop). Of course, there are also souvenirs, jewellery and minerals from all over the world.