Besucherbergwerk Freudenstadt
16th-century show mine in Freudenstadt: guided tours down steel ladders to a depth of 30 m, plus an air-raid shelter.
About the museum
The Heilige Drei Könige mine on the outskirts of Freudenstadt was dug around 1530 as an exploratory mine in search of silver- and copper-bearing ores. After an interruption, Duke Christoph of Württemberg had mining in the region resumed from 1558; the shaft was deepened further from 1559 and eventually reached almost 70 meters. However, no profitable ore was found here, so work stopped around 1562, while neighboring mines in the Christophstal valley proved productive.
In the 1930s workers building an air-raid shelter stumbled upon the old shaft by chance but walled it up again. Only in the late 1990s was the mine behind the bunker wall rediscovered, explored and cleared by volunteers. Among the finds was the windlass shaft of a hand winch, dated to around 1560.
Since 1999, the year of the town's 400th anniversary, the mine has been open to visitors as a show mine and is looked after by the local history and museum association. After a pause of several years, it reopened in 2025. Visitors choose among three levels: the tunnel with the air-raid shelter, a first descent of six meters, or the route down ladders to a depth of 30 meters.
Highlights
- 16th-century shaft accessible via steel ladders
- Three tour levels down to 30 m deep
- World War II air-raid shelter
- Find of a hand winch from around 1560
- Founded
- 1999
- Operated by
- Heimat- und Museumsverein für Stadt und Kreis Freudenstadt e. V. (Führungen über Freudenstadt Tourismus)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | –Level 1 has no minimum age; Level 2 from age 10, Level 3 from age 12 |
| Groups | –Group tours by advance booking with Freudenstadt Tourismus |
| Level 2 (6 m descent, ages 10 and up) | €4 |
| Level 3 (30 m descent, ages 12 and up) | €5 |
Price depends on the level: Level 1 (tunnel and air-raid shelter) €3, Level 2 €4, Level 3 €5. For the 2027 dates, prices of €8, €10 and €12 respectively have been announced; free admission with the Schwarzwald-Plus-Karte will then apply.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- 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
Not accessible; the descent is via permanently anchored steel ladders. Level 1 involves no descent.
Kids & families
Level 1 has no minimum age; the descent in Level 2 is for ages 10 and up, Level 3 for ages 12 and up.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Parking at the medical center, Schömberger Straße.
Entrance behind the specialist medical center, Straßburger Straße 57.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Hard hats are provided.
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 only (max. 10–15 people per group). Duration: Level 1 approx. 20–30, Level 2 approx. 30–40, Level 3 approx. 40–60 minutes. Inside the mine it is about 8 °C with humidity of up to 98% – sturdy shoes and warm clothing that can get dirty are required. |
