Tuesday 1 December 2015
14:15 to 16:15 Rammelsberg UNESCO World Heritage
UNIQUE FEATURES ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND
For over 1000 years mining was carried on without interruption in the Rammelsberg. Archaeological finds show that ore was being taken from the ground 3000 years ago. Deep in the mountain lay the greatest deposits of copper, lead and zinc ore in the whole world.
Together with the surrounding landscape and the old city of Goslar the mine, which has been closed since 1988, became one of the most impressive historic mining areas in the world.
At the Rammelsberg a unique collection of historic mining objects and artefacts is to be found, which helps the visitor get to grips with the history and culture of mining in the truest sense of the word.
THE RAMMELSBERG AS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Because of the outstanding historic evidence, both on the surface and below ground, representing all its operational phases, the Rammelsberg Mine and the town of Goslar, which was strongly influenced by the mine, took their place on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1992.
Tour A
Roederstollen
You walk through a 200 year old adit system with three huge underground water wheels, the pre-industrial drives for pumps and ore hoists. The brilliantly engineered "Roeder Stollen Project" was a technical masterpiece of the late eighteenth century.
As you go through the underground world full of secrets, your glance falls on coloured minerals, you experience darkness and light, you discover the skill of the miner and you become aware of how painstaking the work below ground once was. A light-and-sound presentation creates a vivid impression of the ancient mining method of "fire-setting". The way out to the daylight is by means of a steep staircase with 101 steps. 1 Hour and 15 Minutes
Tour B
MACHINES IN MOTION
A TRAIN RIDE TO THE WORK FACE
The winding and creaking mine train leads deep into the mountain to the 100 year old Richtschacht.
Here the original mining and winding engines, which worked in the Rammelsberg, are shown in action. Mining techniques of the twentieth century are demonstrated with all their loud din. Visitors can also experience the grindingly hard working conditions of the miners. However the improvements made possible by technical progress are also clearly apparent. 1 Hour
16:45 Visit to Goslar UNESCO World Heritage
Look around and find out how vivacious the centuries still are in this old imperial town at the edge of the Harz Mountains. See what makes this 1000-year-old World Heritage Site well worth seeing and experiencing.
18:30 Dinner in Goslar
20:00 Return to Göttingen
21:30 approx. back in Göttingen
Please note: For the excursion especially the walk through the Roederstollen wear solid shoes with rubber soles and a warm jacket.