Museum gallery lead mine Neu Glück

The hard work of our ancestors, who mined copper, lead, zinc and iron ore in long tunnels, is little remembered today in the Vier-Täler town. During the construction of the tunnels for the "Westtangente" bypass, an old gallery was cut in 2006. This provided an opportunity to commemorate the town's mining history close to the town - in the visitor gallery of the "Neu Glück" lead ore mine, which was mined by "Hermannus" Schantz in 1755.

The mine has three different phases of development. Here, as an absolute rarity, one can see the "three-stage mining" of late medieval mines. Due to the narrowness of the tunnels, only one miner could be "on site" for most of the time. In three-stage mining, as in "Neu Glück", three miners worked one after the other and thus made much faster progress.

Like so many mine shafts, part of "Neu Glück" was converted into an air-raid shelter during the war years 1944/45, where more than 100 citizens found protection. This phase of use, for which a second entrance to the gallery was blasted into the mountain, is also presented. The technology of modern times follows: the construction of the 734-meter-long Hestenberg tunnel, which literally cuts through the old gallery and leads visitors to the mine underground almost to the tunnel.

Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, watches over the tunnel. And the tunnel has another special feature to offer: in a small adjoining room, 25 American soldiers were once held as prisoners of war; however, they were freed bloodlessly by their comrades after a few days. (HH)

Experience the history of mining up close on a guided tour and immerse yourself in the world of the miners!
Those who visit the lead ore mine "Neu Glück" do not need to walk long distances to get into the mine: the entrance to the mine is located a short distance away, right in the middle of town.

Information on the guided tour:
A maximum of 12 people can take part in each guided tour. Children are only allowed to enter the mine from the third grade of primary school. Since stooped walking is required in parts, we recommend a moderate level of fitness. The mine is not handicapped accessible. We recommend sturdy shoes and warm clothing, as underground temperatures are around 13°C. Protective helmets are issued free of charge.
Larger groups and special tours are possible by arrangement.

Tickets can be purchased at the ticket store at www.plettenberg-kultour.de or at Wilhelm 9, Wilhelmstraße 9, 58840 Plettenberg.

The Bleierzgrube Neu Glück museum gallery is a place of experience on the Iron Route of Südwestfalen and a sight at WasserEisenLand - Industriekultur Südwestfalen.