Besucherbergwerk Gleißinger Fels, Historic mine in Fichtelberg, Germany

Besucherbergwerk Gleißinger Fels is a show mine at Neubau, a hamlet of Fichtelberg am Ochsenkopf. Its accessible level is a 180-metre stretch of the upper adit with five crosscuts, driven into a quartz lode carrying iron glance up to four metres thick; the lode dipped about 65 degrees to the west. The lower adit, begun in 1802, lies flooded.

In 1478 the Lords of Hirschberg received from Elector Philip the right to extract all metals within two to three miles of Mehlmeisel, which spurred prospecting around Fichtelberg, though no gold or silver was ever found. In 1600 Frederick IV granted mining freedoms, and in 1604 the Gottesgab mine opened, followed by a blast furnace and hammer forges. The Thirty Years' War destroyed all pits and smelting buildings in 1635; work resumed under Maximilian I, and after a long dispute with the mine owners the state ran operations from 1689. Iron-glitter mining at the Gleißinger Fels remained the only important branch after 1789, and the last operation ceased in 1907.

The mine is the world's only silver-iron mine open to visitors, and tours are paired with a documentary film on the history of mining here. The rock walls also hold drawings estimated at 20 million years old, shown alongside the tool marks of the miners.

The mine lies at Neubau, a hamlet of Fichtelberg am Ochsenkopf, and is reached on foot; the guided tour covers a 180-metre section of the upper adit and its five crosscuts, while everything below that level is flooded. A documentary film on the history of mining is shown alongside the underground visit. Sturdy shoes and a light jacket are sensible, as the adit is cool and damp.

The mine is described as the world's only silver-iron mine open to visitors, and a documentary film on the history of mining here is shown alongside the guided tour. Among the features pointed out are rock drawings said to be 20 million years old.