Upper Harz: Mining History, World Heritage and Trails
Accommodation in Upper Harz
File:Schießstand Oberharz-Kaserne Clausthal-Zellerfeld.jpg
Photo: Brezelpaul via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In the Upper Harz, traces of historic mining, the Upper Harz Water Management System and a landscape of ponds, ditches, mountain meadows and forests come together. Clausthal-Zellerfeld is home to the Upper Harz Mining Museum, the Market Church of the Holy Spirit, the World Heritage Information Centre and the freely accessible site of the Kaiser Wilhelm II mine shaft. There are also World Heritage hiking trails, the Robert Koch town walk, the adventure tour at the Ottiliae Shaft and the Robinson adventure playground.
Other places in the Upper Harz include Altenau, Wildemann and Schulenberg im Oberharz.
Mining History in Clausthal-Zellerfeld
The Upper Harz Mining Museum in Clausthal-Zellerfeld was founded in 1892. It presents the development of ore mining in the Upper Harz from the Middle Ages until its end in 1930. At the demonstration mine, you can explore both above-ground and underground facilities.
A striking testament to mining technology is the iron headframe of the Ottiliae Shaft, dating from 1876. It is considered the oldest surviving headframe of its kind in Europe. The Kaiser Wilhelm II mine shaft in Clausthal-Zellerfeld also features a freely accessible site with an exhibition on the technology and history of the Upper Harz Water Management System.
The Market Church of the Holy Spirit is also one of the defining buildings in Clausthal-Zellerfeld. It is Germany’s largest wooden church. The Robert Koch town walk offers another biographical perspective. It leads to places connected with his youth and takes around 2.5 hours without a visit to the Upper Harz Mining Museum.
Water Management, Landscape and World Heritage Trails
The UNESCO World Heritage Upper Harz Water Management System comprises 107 historic ponds, a total of 310 kilometres of ditches and 31 kilometres of waterways. Ponds, ditches and waterways are part of a cultural landscape in which technological history and the natural environment exist in close proximity.
The World Heritage hiking trails in the Upper Harz lead through a landscape of ponds, ditches, mountain meadows, forests and diverse wildlife. Information boards along the way provide information about the World Heritage site.
The World Heritage Information Centre in Clausthal-Zellerfeld offers a compact introduction. It has around 170 square metres of exhibition space and features a 3D landscape model with video projection.
Experiences for Different Day Plans
The UNESCO World Heritage Day in the Upper Harz takes place annually at the beginning of June. It offers special guided tours and a wide range of events.
An adventure tour begins at the Ottiliae Shaft World Heritage Monument in the Upper Harz. It includes a guided tour of the grounds of the former central mine shaft as well as machinery demonstrations.
Group activities are also part of what the Upper Harz has to offer. The BRAUakademie in Clausthal-Zellerfeld offers seminars where groups of four or more can brew their own beer.
The Robinson adventure playground on Spiegelthaler Straße features mining-themed play equipment. The playground also includes a two-storey headframe with a climbing trail, a slide and a 45-metre-long zip line.
Experience the Upper Harz with Different Interests
Groups of four or more can brew beer together during a seminar at the BRAUakademie. Anyone interested in technological history can include the iron headframe of the Ottiliae Shaft, the above-ground and underground facilities of the demonstration mine and the machinery demonstrations on the adventure tour in their personal selection.
To the overview of the wider travel region: Goslar District.
More Destinations
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