Grube Marie in der Kohlbach
Medieval lead and silver mine near Weinheim-Hohensachsen, run as a show mine on selected dates.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Ore mining in the Kohlbach valley east of Hohensachsen is documented as early as the early 11th century. In 1291 a document mentions mining near Sassinheim, when the Lords of Strahlenberg placed their mining property under the Count Palatine; it is possible that this refers to the Marie mine, but by no means certain. The first reliable documentary mention of the mine itself dates from 1474. Over the following centuries the operators changed several times; a wooden climbing board found in the mine in 2004 comes from timber felled in 1475 and is regarded as rare evidence of medieval mining technology.
In the 18th century a drainage adit about 250 metres long was driven to drain the deep sections. After a brief boom in silver and lead ore extraction around 1780, the mine was closed in 1783; later explorations produced no new output, and in 1925 the mining lease finally lapsed.
From 1995, volunteer researchers of old mining – organised since 1996 as the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Altbergbau – uncovered the adits and shafts again. Since 2021 they have been working on opening the 250-metre-long drainage adit. Since 2008 the roughly 50-metre-long day adit with its shaft chamber can be visited on guided tours. The mine is a Geopoint of the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park and was named Geotope of the Year in 2017. Since 2026 there has also been a small mining museum in the Weinheim district of Hohensachsen below the mine, which can likewise be visited on request.
Highlights
- First reliable documentary mention in 1474, possible mention as early as 1291
- Walkable medieval day adit with shaft chamber
- Find of a climbing board from the 15th century
- Geotope of the Year 2017
- Small mining museum in Hohensachsen below the mine (on request)
Permanent exhibition
- Tagstollen der Grube Marie – Guided walk through the medieval day adit to the shaft chamber, with insights into early lead and silver mining.
- Founded
- 2008
- Operated by
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Altbergbau (ehrenamtlich)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Tours are free of charge; donations for the upkeep and development of the mine are welcome.
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
The mine is partly accessible without barriers; any requests should if possible be communicated when registering.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
Children's tours and children's birthday parties as well as kindergartens and school classes are regular guests. Expert tours are also possible on request.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available · 10-min walk to the entrance
Parking is available at the "Kohlbach" hiking car park, about a 10-minute walk away.
Amenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
The team offers no catering itself; there are places to eat in Hohensachsen.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Meeting point at the portal of the day adit; ideally 6 to a maximum of 8 people per tour. Register by email with the mine management or on weekdays via the Hohensachsen administrative office (tel. 06201 592823). On request, tours of the surroundings with a geology and cultural landscape component are also available. Apart from the visitor Saturdays and individual tours there are no regular events. A small mining museum in Hohensachsen below the mine can be visited on request. |
