Deutsches Schieferbergwerk, Mining museum in Mayen, Germany.
The Deutsches Schieferbergwerk is an underground museum in Mayen displaying 340 meters of tunnels located approximately 16 meters below the surface. The passages contain tools and objects used in slate mining operations.
The mine developed during periods when slate extraction was economically vital to the region. The underground spaces later served as an air raid shelter during World War II for thousands of local residents.
The museum exhibits demonstrate the methods of slate mining through the centuries, with original equipment including mine carts, rope saws, and pneumatic hammers.
The underground passages remain cool year-round and visitors should wear appropriate clothing for the cool conditions below ground. Plan for uneven terrain and wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking through the tunnels.
Visitors can experience a simulated mine cart ride that recreates the daily conditions of workers underground. This journey offers a firsthand sense of the difficult work and circumstances that miners faced in the tunnels.
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