Ernst-August-Stollen, Mining adit in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany.
The Ernst-August-Stollen is an underground water drainage gallery in the Upper Harz mining region, running near Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Bad Grund. The tunnel measures 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) high and 1.68 meters (5.5 ft) wide, and was built to carry groundwater away from the mines in the surrounding area.
Construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1864, with workers digging from seven different access points at the same time. The project was driven by the growing depth of the Harz mines, where rising groundwater had become a serious problem.
The Ernst-August-Stollen is part of the Upper Harz Water Management System, a network of ponds, ditches, and galleries recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the entrance portal in Gittelde, visitors can see how the tunnel opens into the landscape and how water still flows through it today.
The entrance portal in Gittelde is the most accessible starting point for a visit, where information panels explain the gallery's history and function. If you want to see the inside of the tunnel, it is worth checking in advance, as not all sections are open to the public at all times.
Although the gallery has not served active mining for over 150 years, it still drains water from underground today. Much of the water flowing through it comes from old shafts buried deep beneath the Harz hills, long since abandoned.
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