Thingbæk Kalkminer

Rebildcentret


Useful Information

Location: Røde Møllevej 4, 9520 Skørping.
Near Rebild and Skørping. Northern Jutland, a few km south of Aalborg.
(56.831727, 9.812011)
Open: Easter Holidays daily 10-17.
APR Sat, Sun 10-17.
MAY to JUN Mon-Fri 10-16, Sat, Sun 10-17.
JUL to AUG daily 10-17.
SEP Mon-Fri 10-16, Sat, Sun 10-17.
OCT Sat, Sun 10-17.
Autumn Holidays daily 10-17.
[2023]
Fee: Adults DKK 110, Children (6-14) DKK 60, Students DKK 90, Seniors DKK 90.
Groups (20+): Adults DKK 90, Children (6-14) DKK 50.
[2023]
Classification: SubterraneaRock Mine MineLimestone Mine SubterraneaUnderground Museums
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: T=8 °C.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:
Address: Thingbæk Kalkminer, Rebildcentret, Røde Møllevej 4, 9520 Skørping, Tel: +45-983-75500, Tel: +45-983-75112. 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

1905 abandoned mines aquired by sculptor Anders Bundgaard.
1926 limestone mining operation started with his son Christian Bundgaard.
1936 underground art museum opened to the public.
~1950 mining ends because it became unprofitable.
2007 Rebildcentret suggests to open the nuclear bunker REGAN VEST to the public
2016 exhibition about the Cold War opened.

Description

Thingbæk Kalkminer (Thingbæk limestone mine) is a former limestone mine. The limestone was needed to produce building stones, lime, cement, mortar, white paint and other useful things, so it was first quarried and later mined. The result are the huge passages of Thingbæk.

The mines were purchased by sculptor Anders Bundgaard in 1905. Together with his son Christian Bundgaard he started an actual limestone mining operation in 1926. In 1936, they abandoned the mine, which became den gamle mine (the old mine) and started den nye mine (the new mine) nearby. Anders Bundgaard placed his sculptures in the old mine and created so his private Bundgaards Museum. The museum was opened to the public in the same year. His most spectacular sculpture is probably the Cimbrian Bull, the plaster model can be seen in the tunnel, the actual bronze sculpture is located in Aalborg. He also collected a number of works by colleague Carl Johan Bonnesen.

The new mine became finally unprofitable around 1950, when road transport became cheaper, and the mining was abandoned. The old mine is used as a museum for the sculptures of Anders Bundgaard until today and is still a private museum. Today it is managed by Rebildcentret, who also manages other museums, activities and some conservation efforts in the area. They have changing exhibitions of other artists, in summer 2003 was the exhibition of Agnete Brittasius. The permanent exhibition in the Udvandrer-grotten (Emmigrant grotto) shows sculptures of Danish emmigrants who went to America. At special occasions the caves are used for cultural events, for example on the 4th of July they are illuminated by 3,000 candles. Also, there are concerts held in the cave. The cover photo of the 2002 album Heart & Soul by Bonnie Tyler was made in Thingbæk Kalkminer.

The mine is used by 400 to 600 bats each winter for hibernation, at this time it is closed for visitors. In Thingbæk there are five different species, which are counted every year, so there are 500-900. They arrive in the mine corridors in October or November and leave the mines in March or April, depending on the weather. Most bats are water bats (Myotis daubentonii), the others are dam bats (Myotis dasycneme), fringed bats (Myotis natterei) and Brandt's bats (Myotis brandti). The rarest species is the long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) with only a few individual which arrive in the middle of winter. In the autumn school holidays there are special events for children about bats.

The REGAN Vest cold war bunker is located on the other side of the road. It was opened to the public in 2023, but here at Thingbæk a permanent exhibition about the Cold War was created in 2016. The exhibition shows the Cold War period seen from the West/NATO and from the Eastern Bloc/Warsaw Pact. They have a part which is dedicated to the efforts by Denmark called NØDDANMARK (EMERGENCY DENMARK). The exhibition was created in collaboration with Karsten and Poul Pedersen, the authors of the book Denmark's deepest secret. They also have an exhibition how the REGAN Vest bunker was built. The idea to open the bunker to the public was presented by Rebildcentret in 2007, and it was actually opened by Nordjylland's Historical Museum. The exhibition has the intention to support the new museum.