1 Hr Mine Tour

Live and authentic mining experience: Nowhere else in Europe can you visit a true iron ore mine with a cage ride down the shaft, a mine railway, and live machine demonstrations – a one-of-a-kind adventure!

The underground mine tour (duration: 1 hour) led by knowledgeable guides showcases the technology and work processes of the former iron ore mine. After a short walk through the tunnel, a cage carrying up to 21 people at once takes you down the machine shaft to the 150-meter level. Visitors then continue on the original mine train into the former extraction rooms of the so-called North Deposit. Here, drilling hammers cut into the red iron ore, and electrically or air-powered loading machines operate noisily. We present several authentic machines in action live!

The temperature here remains steady at 13° Celsius, with high humidity, dust-free air, and complete silence away from everyday noise – this alone is a refreshing experience! And then listen to the noise miners once worked under.

Admission includes access to the surface facilities: the mining museum with the changing room in the mining office, and the engine house with the powerful hoist machine on the upper mining yard. Don’t miss watching our operator working the original hoist machine! Here you can see other guests entering or leaving the mine in the cage.

PS: As a non-profit, charitable association, we operate the Grube Fortuna, a genuine visitor mine. Compared to other museum institutions, our operating costs are very high (4 staff members work for every visitor; the rope ride under mine supervision involves demanding technical and safety requirements) and we receive only a fixed public subsidy that falls far short of covering expenses. We survive on ticket sales, the museum shop, and donations, and manage to break even thanks to much volunteer work. We hope, despite all the revenue losses in recent years, to preserve the mine as a living monument of industrial culture and mining history, and we look forward to your visit.