Samson Pit was the deepest mine in the world...
The Samson Mine, located in Sankt Andreasberg, is counted among the most significant mining monuments in Europe. From 1521 until 1910, silver ore in particular was mined here. For many years, the Samson Mine was one of the world’s deepest. It is also home to the man engine known as the Fahrkunst, which is still in operation and is now recognized as an international machine monument. Equally impressive are the two water wheels - the reversible overshot wheel from 1820, which is 9 m high, and the pump wheel, which stands 12 metres tall and is driven by water during the tour, just as it was centuries ago.
The Samson Mine is part of the Upper Harz Water Management System, which was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2010.
Guided tours at 11:00 & 14:30
The damaged artificial wheel at the Samson pit will be dismantled from Monday, 26th of September 2022, and the wheel room will then be checked and structurally secured. After that, the new construction of the 12m high water wheel will begin, which will turn again from February 2023.
In the course of the construction work and the associated safety requirements, the water wheel house and the underground areas of the Samson mine cannot be viewed continuously.
Alternatively, the guided tours will continue after visiting the shaft building in the sister mine Catharina-Neufang. Among other things, guests can spectacularly experience a mined ore vein that is more than 200 m deep. This dismantling is the only one in the Upper Harz that is still accessible to groups of visitors.
The Catharina-Neufang pit is located about 80 m away from the Samson pit on the other side of the sports field. Please remember to wear weatherproof clothing and sturdy shoes for the visit and the walk to the second mine.