Freilichtmuseum Mittelalterliche Bergstadt Bleiberg

About the museum

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the mining town of Bleiberg (Blyberge) lay on the Treppenhauer near Sachsenburg. From around 1220, miners extracted mainly silver-bearing galena here – unusually early, already by deep mining. The settlement, surrounded by a rampart, covered over twelve hectares; traces of around 180 mining pits and house foundations are still visible today. Around the middle of the 14th century mining came to a halt, probably because of exhausted ore, groundwater ingress, a shortage of timber and crop failures, and the town was abandoned.

Excavations carried out by an archaeologist with schoolchildren in the 1970s brought the remains of the mining town to light and gave the impetus for founding the Mittelalterliche Bergstadt Bleiberg association in 1991, which soon afterwards began the reconstruction on a site provided by the town of Frankenberg on the edge of Sachsenburg. Since 2003 the association has been registered as a non-profit.

On the display grounds stand sunken-floor huts, log houses and a half-timbered house rebuilt according to excavation findings, along with a shaft house, bathhouse and tavern, bakehouse, weaving shop, forge, dye works and carpentry workshop. Association members look after individual houses and demonstrate medieval crafts there. A barn converted into a multipurpose barn completes the grounds.

Highlights

• Rebuilt sunken-floor huts, log houses and half-timbered house based on excavation findings
• Shaft house on medieval mining
• Living crafts in the forge, weaving shop, bakehouse and dye works
• Tours with the mining master or guild master
• Fair, craft market and winter village through the year

Permanent exhibition

• Schaugelände der Bergstadt Bleiberg – Reconstructed residential and workshop buildings of the 12th to 14th centuries, from sunken-floor huts to the half-timbered carpentry workshop, brought to life by craft demonstrations.

Operated by

Mittelalterliche Bergstadt Bleiberg e. V.

Admission & discounts

The prices apply to a visit without a guided tour.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Visitors can join in the crafts; association members demonstrate medieval craft techniques in the houses.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Official wedding venue of the town of Frankenberg since 2019 (ceremony via the Frankenberg registry office). Grounds with meadow, sun sail, barbecue and fire pits as well as the tavern, stable or multipurpose barn with kitchen for birthdays, weddings, school-start and company celebrations on request.

Plan your visit