A tour through the salt mine in Hallstatt
Created | Updated Mar 7, 2011
A tour through the salt mine in Hallstatt
Geography
The world’s oldest salt mine is to be found in the village of Hallstatt, in the very south of Upper Austria in a region which is called Salzkammergut. For more than 7,000 years mining has taken place in Hallstatt and the mine is still in use today.
For more than 7,000 years, people have been gaining salt from the mine in Hallstatt which lies on the salt mountain a few hundred meters above today’s village accessible by cable car or by walking. The first traces, however, only date back to 5,000 B.C. with no finds older than this date.
History
The story of how salt was found involves a hunter of the Stone Age who one day climbed up the mountain to search for deer. When he arrived at the top following animal prints he was surprised to find a spring sputtering out of the earth. Before he bent down to thirstily drink the water, he counted the prints. He took all the fingers of his hands to count, but the number of his fingers wasn’t enough. The hunter was surprised at so many animals climbing up this mountain, because there were also springs down in the valley. He tasted the water, but spit it out immediately afterwards, because the water’s taste was bitter. Then he also saw that the plants next to the spring were covered with a white crust and realized that he had found salt.
The name of the village Hallstatt derives from the Celtic word “Hall-“ for salt. The Celts were the first to start the mining professionally 4,500 BC to gain the white gold, as salt is called. The village gave its name to the early Iron Age Hallstatt culture which lasted from about 1,500 to 500 BC and spread from Hallstatt throughout Central Europe. The discovery of a large prehistoric cemetery in 1846 shows artefacts of that time.
The tour through the mine
Visitors start their tour in the village of Hallstatt, are taken up to the mountain by a cable car and brought to the plain were the miners used to live in the past. From there follows a walk of about 15 minutes along a nice foot path a bit further up until the miners` refuge is reached. While walking along the path the old necropolis can be seen where some 4,000 people were buried. Before the tour through the mine can start each visitor has to put on protection clothes which are handed out at the miner’s refuge that serves as visitor centre today. After the visitors are dressed they are welcomed by their guide with salt and bread, which is typical for welcoming strangers.
The tour through the mine itself starts with walking into the Christina Tunnel at 928 metres above sea level at the Christina Tunnel Mouth. The air smells salty and there is a constant temperature of plus 8 degrees, even in summer. Hiking shoes are recommended. After a short walk a place which is furnished with wooden benches is reached. A film presentation gives an informative overview of how the salt came into the mountain, how it is gained from the mountain and also shows in which industries salt from Hallstatt is used today.
The Hallstatt salt mine consists of twelve levels of tunnels called “horizons”. The miners used to take slides down to a lower level and wooden stairs to go up again as their weren´t any lifts in the past. During the tour visitors will only move on levels 7 and 6. The visitor experiences how to ride a slide right then and walks to the chamber of salt crystals afterwards. A second slide follows which is Europe’s longest wooden slide where the top speed is measured. Pictures are taken from the visitors while taking the slide and can be purchased at the end of the tour. Very impressive is the salt lake in the “Hörnerwerk” cavern which comes next. In summer there are concerts down here which are worth a visit due to the unique setting and the acoustics.
While walking through the mine the guide provides the visitors with all the necessary information and explains how the mining worked in the beginning when the Celts had gained salt with their handmade tools until how it is done today with modern machines although miners are still needed. The tour continues along an exhibition which presents the history visually showing objects.
The “Grubenhund”, which is the name of the train, brings the visitors outside again back to the entrance of the Christina Tunnel. The ride on the train is exciting, because this is the way in which the miners left and still leave the mine today. However, hands and feet should not be stretched out because that can be dangerous.
Reasons why to come
Visiting the salt mine is a unique experience for adults and children alike. It offers the visitors an insight into the history of the “Salzkammergut” and the importance salt had and still has for the region and its inhabitants. Once reached the salt mountain there is a great view waiting: the village of Hallstatt, the lake and the surrounding mountains. The guided tour through the salt mine is an adventure which won’t be forgotten that easily!
Geography
The world’s oldest salt mine is to be found in the village of Hallstatt, in the very south of Upper Austria in a region which is called Salzkammergut. For more than 7,000 years mining has taken place in Hallstatt and the mine is still in use today.
For more than 7,000 years, people have been gaining salt from the mine in Hallstatt which lies on the salt mountain a few hundred meters above today’s village accessible by cable car or by walking. The first traces, however, only date back to 5,000 B.C. with no finds older than this date.
History
The story of how salt was found involves a hunter of the Stone Age who one day climbed up the mountain to search for deer. When he arrived at the top following animal prints he was surprised to find a spring sputtering out of the earth. Before he bent down to thirstily drink the water, he counted the prints. He took all the fingers of his hands to count, but the number of his fingers wasn’t enough. The hunter was surprised at so many animals climbing up this mountain, because there were also springs down in the valley. He tasted the water, but spit it out immediately afterwards, because the water’s taste was bitter. Then he also saw that the plants next to the spring were covered with a white crust and realized that he had found salt.
The name of the village Hallstatt derives from the Celtic word “Hall-“ for salt. The Celts were the first to start the mining professionally 4,500 BC to gain the white gold, as salt is called. The village gave its name to the early Iron Age Hallstatt culture which lasted from about 1,500 to 500 BC and spread from Hallstatt throughout Central Europe. The discovery of a large prehistoric cemetery in 1846 shows artefacts of that time.
The tour through the mine
Visitors start their tour in the village of Hallstatt, are taken up to the mountain by a cable car and brought to the plain were the miners used to live in the past. From there follows a walk of about 15 minutes along a nice foot path a bit further up until the miners` refuge is reached. While walking along the path the old necropolis can be seen where some 4,000 people were buried. Before the tour through the mine can start each visitor has to put on protection clothes which are handed out at the miner’s refuge that serves as visitor centre today. After the visitors are dressed they are welcomed by their guide with salt and bread, which is typical for welcoming strangers.
The tour through the mine itself starts with walking into the Christina Tunnel at 928 metres above sea level at the Christina Tunnel Mouth. The air smells salty and there is a constant temperature of plus 8 degrees, even in summer. Hiking shoes are recommended. After a short walk a place which is furnished with wooden benches is reached. A film presentation gives an informative overview of how the salt came into the mountain, how it is gained from the mountain and also shows in which industries salt from Hallstatt is used today.
The Hallstatt salt mine consists of twelve levels of tunnels called “horizons”. The miners used to take slides down to a lower level and wooden stairs to go up again as their weren´t any lifts in the past. During the tour visitors will only move on levels 7 and 6. The visitor experiences how to ride a slide right then and walks to the chamber of salt crystals afterwards. A second slide follows which is Europe’s longest wooden slide where the top speed is measured. Pictures are taken from the visitors while taking the slide and can be purchased at the end of the tour. Very impressive is the salt lake in the “Hörnerwerk” cavern which comes next. In summer there are concerts down here which are worth a visit due to the unique setting and the acoustics.
While walking through the mine the guide provides the visitors with all the necessary information and explains how the mining worked in the beginning when the Celts had gained salt with their handmade tools until how it is done today with modern machines although miners are still needed. The tour continues along an exhibition which presents the history visually showing objects.
The “Grubenhund”, which is the name of the train, brings the visitors outside again back to the entrance of the Christina Tunnel. The ride on the train is exciting, because this is the way in which the miners left and still leave the mine today. However, hands and feet should not be stretched out because that can be dangerous.
Reasons why to come
Visiting the salt mine is a unique experience for adults and children alike. It offers the visitors an insight into the history of the “Salzkammergut” and the importance salt had and still has for the region and its inhabitants. Once reached the salt mountain there is a great view waiting: the village of Hallstatt, the lake and the surrounding mountains. The guided tour through the salt mine is an adventure which won’t be forgotten that easily!
