Erlebnisbergwerk Merkers (Adventure Mine)

Join us on an exciting journey at a depth of about 500 meters. Be amazed by sights such as the hall-like great bunker with the largest underground bucket wheel excavator in the world or the crystal grotto, which was not discovered until 1980 and contains salt minerals up to a meter in height. Or peek into the so-called gold room where the entire gold and currency reserves of the Third Reich were stored at the end of the war. Mining Museum – A museum chamber with about 1500 m² of exhibitions provides an insight into the world of the potash miner. Take a look back at the development of potash mining in the Werra region and the former Kaiseroda and Heiligenroda labour unions. Be reminded, too, of the tradition rich salt extraction activities in this region, the Salzunger brine wells and their use by one of the oldest salt works in Central Europe. Great bunker - In the former great bunker, which was able to store up to 50.000 metric tons of raw salt, the visitor can see a huge bucket wheel excavator- affectionately called “Alf” by the miners because of its long boom. Historical gold room – This room in another chamber of the mine is a reminder of a short episode in 1945. For a few weeks, Kaiseroda II/III pit, as it was then, became the richest mine in the world because of the gold and currency reserves of the German Reichsbank, which were stored there temporarily. Crystal grotto- The climax point of the more than two hour long trip into the world of “white gold” and at the same time the point at which we turn back is the crystal grotto discovered 1980- It is an unique geological formation the like of which has been found nowhere else in the world an it gives an idea of what old legends and fairy tales may have meant when they spoke of sparkling treasures in the depths of the mountain.