Sensenwerk Deutschfeistritz
Water-powered scythe forge in the Übelbach valley, in operation until 1984; today a museum with tours while the hammers and water wheels are running.
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About the museum
In the Übelbach valley north of Graz there has been silver mining and iron-processing businesses since the 16th century. The ironworks owner Johann Pachernegg built the scythe hammer in Deutschfeistritz in 1849, which was powered by water. Until 1984, scythes were made here under harsh working conditions. In the best years more than 60,000 scythes a year left the works and found buyers among farmers all over the world.
Six large water wheels beneath the Fluder water channel system drove the heavy hammers and machines. After the works closed, the Kulturverein Sensenwerk Deutschfeistritz restored the facility from 1990 and opened it as an industrial monument and living museum. In 2009 a cultural-historical exhibition was added, and at the same time the workshop halls received a new lighting and control system.
The house has held the Austrian Museum Quality Seal since 2004, most recently confirmed for 2024 to 2029. Besides guided tours of the forge, the association offers theatre, concerts, an "Altweibersommer" (Indian summer) market, a Walpurgis Night celebration and its own gallery. In June 2024 a flood of the Übelbach submerged the site. The damage was repaired through a great deal of voluntary work.
Highlights
- Guided tour with running water wheels, hammers and glowing iron
- Six working water wheels beneath the Fluder water channel
- Explanation of how a Bröckl becomes a scythe
- Special tours for children and an evening experience tour
- Austrian Museum Quality Seal since 2004
Permanent exhibition
- Historisches Sensenwerk – Original workshop halls with water wheels, hammers and furnaces, plus a cultural-historical exhibition on scythe production and working life in the Übelbach valley.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- Kulturverein Sensenwerk Deutschfeistritz
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €3.50free up to age 5 · Children aged 6 to 16 |
| Groups (6+ people) | €8 per personGroups of 6 or more: €8 admission per person plus a €25 flat fee for the tour. School classes as a class group: €4 per pupil. |
| Group tour for up to 5 people (flat fee) | €65Group tours at any time after prior registration |
Free admission for children under 6 and holders of the "Hunger auf Kunst & Kultur" culture pass. The Steiermarkcard, Genusscard and Familienpass are accepted.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Special tours for children revolve around the "Bröckerl" and the "Hammerschmiedlied" (hammer-forge song). Experience days with forging for children are announced separately. Free admission under 6; the family pass is accepted.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located at Rudolf-Klug-Gasse 2 in Deutschfeistritz in the Übelbach valley, about 20 kilometers north of Graz.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop with scythes ready for mowing, whetstones, forging items, art prints and the association's own publications.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The tour lasts about one hour, during which the water wheels drive the forge hammers. Tours are offered in German and English. Special tours for children and the evening experience tour "Im Reich des Schwarzen Grafen" (In the Realm of the Black Count) are available after prior registration. Group registration: +43 3127 42200, +43 3127 42277 or anmeldung.sensenwerk@aon.at. Hammer-forge tours and forging for children are announced separately as experience days. |
