St. Gideon Erbstollen

Useful Information

Location:	Großolbersdorf
Open:	All year after appointment. On the "Tag des offenen Denkmals", second Sunday in September. At the christmas market, 2nd Advent. [2011]
Fee:
Classification:	Adit
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1,260m
Guided tours:	L=40m
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	St. Gideon Erbstollen, Natur- und Heimatverein Großolbersdorf, Grünauer Str. 58, 09432 Großolbersdorf. Dieter Taube, Tel: +49-173-5879706. Gemeindeverwaltung Großolbersdorf, Am Rathaus 8, 09432 Großolbersdorf, Tel.: 037369/1410 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

1552	start of construction.
1846	construction stopped.
1946/47	exploration by the SAG Wismut.
1960	water used for drinking water.
1996	end of use for drinking water.
2000	renovation by the Natur- und Heimatverein.

Geology

Description

The St. Gideon Erbstollen was built in the 16th century. It was planned to drain the mines of the Marienberg area. When it was started in 1552, the plan was to reach the mines at Lauta after about 3,500 m, at a level 200 m below the actualy mining at this time. Such an adit was an investment into the future and took several generations to complete. But in this case it did not work out. The works were stopped because of a shortage of funds, then because of bad air in the tunnel. During the Thirty Years War it was abandoned completely. In the year 1846 the construction is finally stopped, the tunnel has only a length of 1,260 m.

Like all mines in the area this adit wasexplored by the SAG Wismut for uranium in 1946/47. This was only an adit and there are no ores found inside, so this was unsuccessful. The tunnel remained unchanged. But because of its location it collects a certain amount of ground water which flows out of the entrance. This water was used as drinking water for the village between 1960 and 1996.

In the year 2000 the water was drained and the tunnel declared a mining monuent. It is now cared for by the Natur- und Heimatverein Großolbersdorf who renovated the entrance section. They made the first 40 m accessible for visitors. This includes the walled entance portal from 1834 and the elliptic walled entrance section which is 10.5 m long. The tunnel behind is shored with brick vaults and stone walls.