Hochofen Franzenshütte
Listed blast furnace of 1862 with a mining museum, roasting kilns, lime kiln and water wheel in Bundschuh near Thomatal.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The blast furnace in Bundschuh was built in 1862 and was at the time one of the most modern plants in Austria. The iron ore came from Schönfeld, about ten kilometres away, and was brought in by ox-drawn carts in winter to be smelted into pig iron on site. It was further processed, among other places, at the Mauterndorf hammer mill into nails, wire and steel.
From 1885 the operation was no longer profitable; from 1901 to 1903 the Phönix steelworks of E. Bleckmann briefly put the plant back into operation. After that the complex fell into disrepair until an association began working to preserve it from 1975. The museum opened to visitors in 1984, and from 1994 the blast furnace, roasting plant, lime kiln, blower house and water wheel were extensively renovated; in 2011/12 the museum was redesigned.
Today the largely complete industrial site, which is a listed monument, is a mining museum that conveys the period around 1860 and the harsh working conditions of the miners and iron smelters. The ensemble also includes workers' houses, a miners' inn and a smithy; a museum circuit connects nine stations.
Highlights
- Blast furnace of 1862 with hot-blast stove and water wheel
- Roasting kilns and lime kiln
- Mining museum on the period around 1860
- Museum circuit with nine stations
- Demonstration blacksmithing on selected dates
Permanent exhibition
- Montanmuseum Hochofen Franzenshütte – The exhibition takes visitors back to the period around 1860 and presents ore extraction, smelting and blacksmithing with all the senses.
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Verein zur Erhaltung der Schmelzanlage Bundschuh
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €4Children up to 14 years. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €8 per personGroups of 10 or more people: €8 per person without a guided tour, €10 with a guided tour. |
| Families | €202 adults with children up to 14 years. |
| Guided tour (per person aged 14 and over) | €2 |
With the SalzburgerLand Card admission is free as often as you like, with the LungauCard free once; with both cards the guided tour costs €2.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The Höllweg trail (about 2 hours from Gruben/Thomatal) ends at the museum.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The site can also be explored independently on the museum circuit. |
