Bagger 1452
Walk-through bucket-wheel excavator from the Berzdorf open-pit mine on Lake Berzdorfer See near Görlitz – industrial monument and open-air museum of lignite mining.
About the museum
The SRs 1200 bucket-wheel excavator left the VEB Schwermaschinenbau Lauchhammerwerk in 1961 with serial number 1452, which remains its name to this day. It first worked in the Phönix open-pit mine south of Leipzig. After that mine closed, it was dismantled in 1970, moved to Upper Lusatia and reassembled in the Berzdorf open-pit mine, where it operated until coal mining ended in 1997 and then helped with land reclamation for several more years.
Instead of letting it be scrapped as planned, former miners campaigned to preserve the last piece of large-scale equipment from the mining district. In October 2001 they founded the Verein bergbaulicher Zeitzeugen Berzdorf/Oberlausitz, which had the excavator moved to its current site near Hagenwerder in 2002 and, with support from the Görlitzer Altstadtstiftung, conserved it and prepared it for visitors.
The machine weighs around 1,940 metric tons, is 75 meters long and more than 33 meters tall; stairs and walkways let visitors climb up to a height of 24 meters. The excavator is a protected cultural monument. The association also displays other equipment from the lignite mining era on the grounds, recalling the region's more than 250-year tradition of mining and energy production; its former open-pit mine has since been flooded to form Lake Berzdorfer See.
Highlights
- Climb the bucket-wheel excavator up to a height of 24 meters
- Bucket wheel with a diameter of 8.6 meters
- Guided tours by former miners
- More mining equipment on the outdoor grounds
- Location on Lake Berzdorfer See, the flooded open-pit mine
Permanent exhibitions
- Schaufelradbagger 1452 und Bergbautechnik – The walk-through giant open-pit excavator and other machines illustrate the work and technology of lignite mining in the former Berzdorf mining district.
- Operated by
- Verein bergbaulicher Zeitzeugen Berzdorf/Oberlausitz e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €2.50free up to age 6 · Children up to 6 free, children up to 14 €2.50 (with guided tour €3.50). |
| Groups (5+ people) | –Guided tours for 5 or more people by reservation. |
| Excavator visit with guided tour (adults) | €8Children up to 14: €3.50. |
The price without a guided tour applies to exploring the excavator on your own.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The excavator itself can only be accessed via stairs and walkways.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours by knowledgeable association members for groups of 5 or more; reservations preferably by email (the office is not always staffed). The visit leads up stairs and walkways to considerable heights – sturdy footwear is recommended. |
