Stadt- und Bergbaumuseum Freiberg

Useful Information

photography — Stadt- und Bergbaumuseum Freiberg, Erzgebirge, Germany. Public Domain.

Location:	Am Dom 1, 09599 Freiberg (50.920482, 13.344057)
Open:	All year Tue-Sun 10-17, last admission 16:30. Closed 24-DEC, 01-JAN. [2021]
Fee:	Adults EUR 5, Children (17-18) EUR 3.50, Trainees EUR 3.50, Students EUR 3.50, Photo Permit EUR 2, Audioguide EUR 2. Groups (12+): Adults EUR 4. [2021]
Classification:	Mining Museums
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	Audio guide, guide folders
Photography:	with photo permission.
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Stadt- und Bergbaumuseum Freiberg, Am Dom 1, 09599 Freiberg, Tel: +49-3731-20250. 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

1485	Domherrenhof (residence of the cathedral clergy) built.
1537	used as a Latin school.
1860	Altertumsverein (Antiquities Society) founded by history-conscious citizens under the leadership of Heinrich Gerlach, owner of a book printing company.
1861	Museum founded by the Freiberg Altertumsverein in the Kastenstube of the municipal department store on Obermarkt.
1903	Moved to the newly renovated present museum building.
1926	Museum redesigned, collections scientifically structured.
1939	Museum transferred to municipal ownership for financial reasons.
World War II	Museum collection stored in bunker.
24-NOV-1946	Museum reopened.
1990	Complete renovation.

Description

The Stadt- und Bergbaumuseum Freiberg (City and Mining Museum Freiberg) was founded in 1861 by the Freiberg Antiquities Society, making it one of the oldest civic museums in Saxony. It is located in the most beautiful late Gothic secular building in the city of Freiberg, the former Domherrenhof. It has a large collection on the city's history, late Gothic sacred art from Upper Saxony, and masterpieces of mining art. Highlights include paintings by Lucas Cranach the Younger, the oldest Schwibbogen (candle arch) in the world, unique goldsmith's art and the oldest mining carvings in Saxony.

The building was constructed as the residence of the clergy of St. Mary's Church, which was raised to the rank of a collegiate foundation in 1480 and is now the cathedral. Hence the name Domherrenhof, the dean lived here with his vicars and chaplains. After the Lutheran Reformation, the collegiate monastery was dissolved. In 1542, the town made the building available to the Latin School; it served both as a school and as a residence for the rector, other teachers and needy pupils. The Latin school was converted into a grammar school and finally moved to a newly constructed school building in 1875. The building was now used as a warehouse, as the headquarters of the Hoppe woollen goods factory, but also as living quarters. Finally, it was thoroughly renovated and housed the museum from 1903, at that time under the name King Albert Museum. It was renamed the City and Mining Museum after it was completely transferred to municipal ownership in 1939. But during the Second World War, a part of the collections was moved out and the Wehrmacht stored supplies for medical units towards the end of the war. After the war, the building was briefly used as a warehouse by the Soviet occupation forces, but the museum was reopened as early as 1946.

The Freiberg mining collection is located on the second floor and includes important artefacts such as mallets and irons. There is also a collection of historical lamps and tools. Highlights are the reconstructions of a wooden reel and a wooden ore sledge or hunt. There is also the reconstruction of a Betstube (prayer hall), a sort of chapel were miners could pray before work. The collection is completed by historical photos and texts.