Besucherbergwerk - Erzgrube Sankt Anna Stollen
Technical cultural monument in Nothweiler: former iron ore mine with a 420 m walk underground; currently closed indefinitely.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Iron ore was already mined in opencast workings near Nothweiler in Celtic times. In the 19th century the mine belonged to the Schönau ironworks, which was owned by the Bavarian royal family; in 1838, under Ludwig von Gienanth, the present adit was started. After about fifty years of mining, operations stopped in 1883, because the blast furnaces in Schönau had gone out.
It was only in spring 1976 that residents of the village began to clear the passages and secure the shafts; this required over 1,000 hours of volunteer work. With grants, cables were laid, railings installed and the mine illuminated. On July 22, 1978, the then Minister of Economics of Rhineland-Palatinate officially opened the St. Anna adit as a show mine.
The underground walk is 420 meters long, level and dry. It shows hand mining of ore, two drop shafts (Sturzschacht), each 40 meters deep, a cistern for water supply, an 80-meter-high ventilation shaft, and large, colorfully lit cavities with iron ore veins. In the information center next to the entrance, the permanent exhibition "Bergbau und Hüttenwesen im Wasgau" (Mining and Metallurgy in the Wasgau) explains tools and iron cast products. Because about 500 bats hibernate in the mine, it is normally closed to visitors from the end of October to the end of March. Since April 2025, the mine and information center have been closed indefinitely for staffing reasons.
Highlights
- 420 m level walk underground
- Drop shafts, cistern and 80 m high ventilation shaft
- Colored iron ore veins in large cavities
- Information center "Bergbau und Hüttenwesen im Wasgau"
- Winter quarters for about 500 bats
Permanent exhibition
- Bergbau und Hüttenwesen im Wasgau – Information center with miners' tools, cast iron products and panels on mining in the Dahner Felsenland.
- Founded
- 1978
- Operated by
- Ortsgemeinde Nothweiler
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Pensioners and people with severe disabilities |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 5 · From age 6 |
| Seniors | €5Pensioners |
| Visitors with disabilities | €5People with severe disabilities |
| Students & apprentices | €4 |
| Groups (12+ people) | –Groups of 12 or more receive a €0.50 discount on the respective price. |
| Families | €14Family card |
Prices before the closure (2024 season); discounts with the Pfälzerwald Card. Admission to the information center is free.
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 420 m walk underground is level.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Train to Hinterweidenthal, then bus line 252 to Nothweiler, or by shared on-demand taxi (order 60 minutes ahead).
Route via the B 10 (exit Hinterweidenthal) toward Dahn and Bundenthal/Rumbach to Nothweiler; the mine is signposted in the village.
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 | Visits by guided tour only; tours in German and English. Groups register with the mine operator (phone 06394 5354) or with the local mayor. |
