Historisches Kupferbergwerk Fischbach
Medieval copper mine with huge mining chambers in the Hosenbach valley, plus a reconstructed copper smelter; guided tours as combination tours.
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About the museum
In the Hosenbach valley near Fischbach, copper ore was mined from about 1400 to 1792. The mining area belonged to the counts of Sponheim and the Wild- and Rhinegraves, who divided its yields in 1473; in the late 16th century, around 2,500 to 3,000 people lived directly or indirectly from mining. The Thirty Years' War interrupted operations; from 1697 they resumed and flourished between about 1730 and 1765. The Revolutionary Wars ended the mining, and in 1825 the mine was auctioned off.
Investigations in the 1930s regarded further extraction as unprofitable but considered the enormous cavities worth preserving. In 1975 the friends' association opened the mine as the first show mine in Rhineland-Palatinate. What can be seen is a mine in a largely medieval state, with extraction halls called Weitungen, up to 35 meters high.
From 1986 onward, a reconstruction of the copper smelter was built next to the mine, with an ore stamp mill, roasting stacks, washing tables, two shaft furnaces and a working forge. The ground-level Erbstollen, the former main working adit, is accessible without barriers.
Highlights
- Huge mining chambers up to 35 meters high
- First show mine in Rhineland-Palatinate (1975)
- Reconstructed copper smelter with stamp mill and shaft furnaces
- Barrier-free Erbstollen
- Copper room and museum shop
Permanent exhibitions
- Historisches Kupferbergwerk – Medieval-style mine with tunnels, shafts and extraction halls up to 35 meters high.
- Fischbacher Kupferhütte – Reconstructed ore processing and smelting with stamp mill, washing tables, shaft furnaces and forge.
- Barrierefreier Erbstollen – Former main working tunnel, at ground level and walkable, with touch exhibits.
- Founded
- 1975
- Operated by
- Ortsgemeinde Fischbach
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8EdelSteinLand guest card and OIE-Card |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 5 · Children and young people aged 6–16 |
| Groups (15+ people) | €8 per personGroups of 15 to 25 people: adults €8, children and young people €5; for groups of more than 25, an additional guide at €15. |
| Families | €272 adults and 2 children |
Prices for the combined tour of the historic copper mine and copper smelter. EdelSteinLand family card: 2 adults at the reduced price (€8) and 1 child aged 6–16 free. Voucher book Schlemmerblock/Freizeitblock: two cards for the price of one.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main mine is not barrier-free (254 steps; from the ticket office to the entrance about 330 meters with roughly 60 meters of elevation). The ground-level Erbstollen with the copper smelter is barrier-free: continuous handrail, rest benches, signs with Braille, and exhibits to touch. Tours there for groups of 10 or more people are available by advance registration from April to October. Dogs may be brought along on a leash.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €27 · 2 adults and 2 children |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Kids’ birthday parties
Mine birthday party for children aged 6 to 10 (about 2 hours, at most 10 children, €150): try on miners' caps, descend with an oil lamp, and search for copper ore with hammer and chisel. In the Erbstollen, children may touch mining tools and minerals.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhof Fischbach-Weierbach · 3 km
Fischbach-Weierbach railway station (Mainz–Saarbrücken line); from there about 3 km on foot, or by the hourly on-demand bus (Rufbus) line 899, which must be booked at least 60 minutes before departure at 06132 789616.
By car
Parking available · 330 m to the entrance
Parking at the ticket office; from there it is about 330 meters and roughly 60 meters of elevation to the entrance of the main mine, while the Erbstollen is close to the car park.
Navigation address: Hosenbachstraße 17, 55743 Fischbach. Access via the B 270 and B 41; nearest motorway junctions are A 61 (Nahetal interchange), A 62 (Birkenfeld) and A 6 (Kaiserslautern-Ost).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
Copper room (Hosenbachstraße 17a, Tel. 06784 9822636) with breakfast, hot meals and coffee; museum shop with minerals, bat-themed merchandise and cheese aged in the mine.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | In the main mine the temperature is about 11 °C year-round, in the Erbstollen about 6 °C; warm clothing and sturdy footwear are necessary. Card payment is possible. Group packages including lunch on request. |
