Besucherbergwerk Abraumförderbrücke F60
Walk-through F60 overburden conveyor bridge at Lake Bergheide: 502 meters of steel, tours up to a height of 74 meters, and a light installation at night.
About the museum
The F60 conveyor bridge is the last of five bridges of this type built by the TAKRAF combine in Lauchhammer. Assembled between 1989 and 1991 at the Klettwitz-Nord open-pit mine, it went into operation in March 1991 and removed up to 60 meters of overburden above the coal. After only about 13 months, in June 1992, the mine was shut down for energy-policy reasons.
The bridge was slated for demolition. However, committed residents of Lichterfeld and the Senftenberg landscape architect Elke Löwe campaigned for its preservation; in 1998 the municipality of Lichterfeld-Schacksdorf took over the F60, which became a project of the Internationale Bauausstellung Fürst-Pückler-Land (International Building Exhibition). In 2000 the colossus moved to its current location at the emerging Lake Bergheide.
The show mine opened in May 2002. A circuit path leads across the 502-meter-long structure, which weighs about 11,000 tons, up to the observation house at a height of 74 meters. Since 2003, the light and sound installation by the Berlin artist Hans Peter Kuhn has transformed the bridge into a light sculpture after dark. The site is run by the Förderverein Besucherbergwerk F60 (friends' association) and F60 Concept GmbH; it is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
Highlights
- Tour across the 502-meter-long conveyor bridge up to a height of 74 meters
- Light and sound installation by Hans Peter Kuhn after dark
- Control room and computer building on the "Sonderschicht" tour
- Info center in the former workshop wagon on Lusatian lignite mining
- Far-reaching views over Lake Bergheide and the post-mining landscape
Permanent exhibitions
- Geschichte und Technik der Braunkohleförderung in der Niederlausitz – Exhibition in the former workshop wagon of the bridge crew, the start and end point of the tours, on mining history and how the conveyor bridge works.
- Founded
- 2002
- Operated by
- Förderverein Besucherbergwerk F60 e.V. / F60 Concept GmbH
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €16 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €13Students, trainees, school pupils, registered groups of 30 or more people, holders of a partner card |
| Children & teens | €7.50free up to age 5 · Children aged 6 to 15 accompanied by their parents |
| Students & apprentices | €13Also trainees and school pupils |
| Groups (30+ people) | €13 per personSchool groups with chaperones (Junior tour) €5 per person. |
| Basic admission to the info center, documentation, and outdoor area (without bridge tour) | €2.50 |
| "Sonderschicht" tour (approx. 120 min., with control room and computer building) | €25For groups of 10 or more people |
| "Spätschicht" tour (evening, approx. 90 min.) | €25On selected dates or on request |
| "Kanzlerblick" tour (approx. 50 min., up to a height of about 20 m) | €10For groups of 10 or more people |
| "Baggerfahrwerk" tour (approx. 50 min., ground level, accessible) | €10For groups of 10 or more people |
| Tour outside opening hours | €16At least €320 per group |
The regular price includes the standard tour of the bridge (about 90 minutes) as well as admission to the info center and the outdoor area.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- 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
Walking across the bridge requires sure-footedness and is not suitable for wheelchairs. The ground-level "Baggerfahrwerk" tour (for 10 or more people, by registration) is accessible and suitable for guests with mobility difficulties. Individual tours for people with disabilities on request.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Kids’ birthday parties
Family tour (approx. 60 minutes) with a miner's helmet, child-friendly explanations, and a quiz all the way to the observation house, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00; children's birthday parties for 10 or more participants on request. Children up to 5 years free. Large outdoor grounds, family picnics possible.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
By train to Finsterwalde, then bus line 558 operated by Verkehrsmanagement Elbe-Elster.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
Lusatian cuisine, soups, and snacks in the former workshop wagon with a sun terrace (coffee and sheet cake); souvenir shop. Dog kennels for the duration of the tour.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Company outings, conferences, team events, and club and family celebrations beneath the F60, with catering and, on request, in a festival tent; in the evening with the light and sound installation.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The bridge can only be visited on a guided tour; sturdy footwear is required, and you should not have a severe fear of heights. Waiting times of 20–45 minutes are possible; advance registration is recommended for groups of 10 or more. Children under 12 only when accompanied by adults. Dogs are not allowed on the tour. Evening Spätschicht tours with the light and sound installation on selected dates. For school classes, a junior tour and class ticket with a nature trail. |
