800 meters through the world of mining
The adventure mine comprises around 800 meters of accessible route on three levels. Visitors can go underground via an above-ground tunnel, where they can experience the original working world of coal mining.
A monument to mining in the Saarland
The Velsen adventure mine
The Visitor mine in Saarland
The disused Velsen coal mine is located in Velsen, the westernmost district of Saarbrücken. Since 1945, the Velsen training gallery was located here, a training mine where generations of miners were trained until 2011. Today, the mine is operated by Erlebnisbergwerk Velsen e.V. as a visitor mine - with the special feature that all machines and techniques can still be demonstrated in operation.
Experience technology in operation
Underground, mighty shields, inclined rollers, conveyor belts, conveyor belts, loading machines, drilling equipment and pumping stations can not only be viewed, but actually put into operation - hydraulically, pneumatically or with high voltage current, just like in active mining.
Highlights include:
A blind shaft with functioning rope travel device and signaling system
Inclined rollers and conveyor belts for rope transportation
The last still functioning, compressed air-operated Koepe conveyor system in Germany
Guided tours of the Velsen adventure mine
The Velsen Adventure Mine offers guided tours of around 90 minutes through the world of coal mining. Visitors experience not only technology, but also atmosphere: it not only looks like underground - it smells and sounds like it too.
Ride the mine train above ground
The adventure mine also includes an above-ground rail network. Visitors enter the mine in original battery-powered locomotives and passenger carriages, just like the miners used to do.
Monument status since 2019
The former Velsen training gallery is a real mine and has been protected as an individual monument since 2019. This is because it is the oldest preserved training mine in the German coal mining industry with the longest uninterrupted operating time of more than 50 years. The complete technical equipment makes it unique from a historical, economic, regional and technical perspective and particularly worthy of protection.
