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A group of people in yellow rain jackets and helmets stands in a pit shaft. They are watching a man working on a machine.
A large gear with the inscription "Visitor Mine Grube Bindweide" against a blue sky. The clouds provide an attractive backdrop to the scene. A group of people in yellow helmets and protective suits is listening to a guide in the mining museum. In the background, there are information displays on the wall and stairs present. A group of five people in yellow rain jackets is standing in a mine. They are looking at the camera and experiencing an underground tour. A group of people in yellow rain jackets and helmets is listening to a guide who is standing next to a mining cart. Industrial elements and pictures on the wall are visible in the background. A child and an adult man are sitting together on a small mine cart track in a tunnel. Both are wearing helmets and giving a thumbs-up while smiling. A group of four people in mining helmets and yellow rain jackets stands in a tunnel. They are looking at a sign with two crossed pickaxes, while the man in the middle explains. A group of people is standing in a mining tunnel. The surroundings are dark, but well visible due to artificial lighting. A group of people in yellow rain jackets and helmets is standing in a tunnel. They are listening to a guide who is explaining something to them. A man sits on a small rail vehicle in a long tunnel. The walls are made of concrete and the tunnel is illuminated. A dark tunnel with glowing lighting and damp soil. At the end of the tunnel, a hidden path can be seen. A group of people in yellow rain jackets and helmets stands in a pit. They are listening to a guide who is holding a flashlight and explaining something to them. A group of people stands in a mine while wearing safety helmets and yellow rain jackets. A small child holds a device in the middle of the group. A group of people in yellow rain jackets and helmets is standing in a pit. A child is holding onto a device and is being supported by an adult. An old mining room with reddish brick walls. In the foreground, there is a rusty mining cart on wet ground.

Visitor mine Bindweide pit

Plan your journey
Bindweider Straße 2
57520 Steinebach/Sieg
Contact us
(0049) 2741 / 291-118
info@bindweide.de
http://www.bindweide.de

Arrival Information

Car park available in front of the visitor mine.

Price information

Exhibition & guided tour of the visitor mine

  • adults: 15,00 €
  • Children (up to 14 years): 8,00 €
  • students / disabled persons: 10,00 €
  • groups (from 10 persons): 13,00 € per person (minimum 130,00 €)
  • school classes / children's groups (from 10 persons): 6,00 € per child
  • Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): 30,00 €
  • Family ticket (each additional child): 5,00 €

    Detailed description

    Welcome! The Bindweide Mining Museum and the mining team welcome you to an underground discovery tour – exciting, impressive and adventurous, ideal for young and old alike.

    The Bindweide Mining Museum offers a unique journey through time.

    The visitor centre in the above-ground area of the mining museum presents an educational experience that brings to life what happens underground. Visitors travel 800 metres through the mountain on the mine railway, then continue on foot for 300 metres. In the ore veins, you can feel the historical significance of mining, complemented by reddish-brown ore-bearing rocks as well as stalactites and stalagmites. The mining museum tour in the Bindweide mine lasts 90 minutes and is accompanied by the historical sounds of old tools. The fresh, humid air at around 12 °C creates an authentic atmosphere – ideal for the mining museum's lasting educational and experiential value.

    Location: The Bindweide Mine Mining Museum is located in Steinebach/Sieg. The Bindweide Mine Mining Museum was built above the entrance to the deep tunnel through which iron ore was once extracted. Iron ore was transported through this tunnel until 1913. The Grube Bindweide Mining Museum has been open since 1986 and attracts thousands of visitors every year. In 2019, Mayor Bernd Brato and the mine team welcomed their 400,000th visitor.

    Attractions at the Grube Bindweide Mining Museum:

    The healing tunnel: breathing and relaxation therapies in the former powder chamber.

    The mine forge: outdoor area with blacksmith demonstrations – living craftsmanship in the mining museum.

    The Barbara Tower: winding tower as a viewing tower near Steineberger Höhe, approx. 2 kilometres from the mining museum.

    Mining and forest adventure trail: The forest nature trail will be extended in 2021 to become the Mining and Forest Experience Trail, leading to the Barbara Tower.

    Visitor centre with museum of the Bindweide iron ore mine:

    Following its modernisation in 2013, the Bindweide Mining Museum now offers a modern visitor centre with multimedia stations on the geology of the Westerwald and ore formation. Other sections guide visitors through the journey of ore from the mine to processing and the final product; the history of mining and work in the mines is vividly presented – including the mining accident in which 14 miners died.

    Museum education and funding: The mining museum programme follows a museum education concept. Further information is available at www.qr-kultur.de; Teaching materials on ore mining.

    Funding:

    The visitor centre, the mine forge and the Barbara Tower were funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

    GeoInformation Centre and partnerships: The Bindweide Mine Mining Museum is one of ten GeoInformation Centres in the Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus GeoPark. Here, visitors can learn about the geology, economic and cultural history of the GeoPark, as well as find information on other stations, GeoRoutes, GeoPoints, GeoTopes and GeoViews (www.geopark-wlt.de).

    The history of the Bindweide iron ore mine: The Bindweide mine was one of the largest iron ore mines in the Siegerland-Westerwald region. The mining field was granted as ‘Maria an der Bindweide’ as early as 1837; in 1872, the world-famous Essen-based steel and mining company Alfred Krupp acquired the mine. After a serious mining accident in which 14 miners died, the mine was closed down. Over 5 million tonnes of iron ore were extracted in the following years; up to 900 miners worked here. Due to a variety of technical problems and declining demand for iron ore during the global economic crisis, the Alfred Krupp company in Essen decided to close the mine. It was finally shut down at the end of March 1932. For a long time, the mine was still referred to as a reserve mine, but production was never resumed.

    Brief description

    The Bindweide Mine - an adventurous journey to the treasures of the earth

    Equipment

    The temperature in the mine is max. 10 °C, so warm clothing is recommended.