Schmittenstollen


Useful Information

Location: L235, 55583 Niederhausen.
Near Feilbingert. Follow signs to the Wald- und Wanderparkplatz. 500 m walk to the entrance, or call a mine trail by the mine phone.
(49.790517, 7.781461)
Open: APR to Oct Tue-Sun 11-16, tours only with reservation.
[2023]
Fee: Adults EUR 7, Children (5-18) EUR 6, Children (0-4) free, Family (2+3) EUR 19, Disabled EUR 6, Kurkarte EUR 6.
Groups (12+): Adults EUR 6.50, Children (5-18) EUR 5.50.
Groups (40+): Adults EUR 4, Children (5-18) EUR 5.
[2023]
Classification: MineMercury Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=15,000 m, VR=100 m.
Guided tours: L=1,000 m.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Arbeitskreis Lemberg „Schmittenstollen“, Matthias Harke, Tel: +49-6758-8404. 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

1438 begin of mining.
1942 mine closed.
1976 start of development as a show mine.
30-MAY-1981 opened to the public.

Geology

In the Schmittenstollen the mineral cinnabar was mined, which is mercury sulfide. It was deposited during the lower Perm, which is locally named Rotliegendes. At this time highly viscose magama welled up from great depth and formed two magma domes, the Lemberg and the Niederhäuser Wald to the east. Those domes caused tectonic movements like the tilt of formerly horizontal sedimentary layers and several massive volcanic eruptions. The heat of the magma was the reason why mercury rich ores were deposited hydrothermal.

Description

The Schmittenstollen is the only mercury mine open to the public in Germany. And it is one of very few mercury mines open to the public worldwide.

This is one of approximately 80 mines near Feilbingert, where the local mercury deposits were mined. There are three different deposits which are accessible inside this mine, the Schmittenzug, the Martinszug and the Zug Treue Zuversicht.

This mine was operated three times, first between 15th and 17th century by manual means like hammer and chisel. Several parts of the show mine originate from this era. Between the 17th and 18th century the mining was a little more modern. The current size of the Schmittenstollen is a result of the modern mining between mid 19th century and 1942. In this time the ores were transported underground to the nearby mine Karlsglückstollen, then with a cableway Niederhausen. From here the ore was transported by Reichsbahn lorries to the Quecksilberhütte Obermoschel.

The development of this show mine was a lot of work. About 80 m³ of debris had to be removed to reopen the main adit, the Schmittenstollen.