The slate tunnel Wilhelmslust was excavated by a roofing master from Mudersbach in 1856 after receiving permission from the Interests Forest. The length is about 80 m with two large extraction halls. The miners opened the tunnel by hand, armed only with hammer and chisel, and brought the valuable slate to the surface. About 10% to 20% of the moved rock masses were usable material as end product. The waste rock was used for road construction and rubble retaining walls. Some stalactites and stalagmites have formed in the tunnel. The air in the tunnel is clear and pure. The temperature is about 8 ºC and the humidity is a pleasant 90%.
From 2004 to 2006, the Sauerland Mountain Club Section Siegtal-Mudersbach e.V. (SGV) prepared the tunnel for visits. About 800 working hours were spent. The tunnel was cleared, the corridors were paved with gravel, and the entrance area was reinforced. Dry stone walls were renewed. The entire tunnel is illuminated and powered by a generator. In front of the entrance, there is an information panel, a mining cart, and a miner on display. Two benches invite visitors to linger.
Slate is a product of nature and originated in the Siegerland primarily during the Devonian period, 350 to 400 million years ago, through the deposition of fine-grained clay sediments, which solidified into clay stone under overburden pressure. During the later mountain formation, the claystone layers were folded under lateral pressure. During these tectonic processes, the clayey rocks ruptured. This imparted a new structural element to the original clay rock: the schistosity. The extraction of slate can be traced historically back to the Middle Ages. The oldest preserved concession for slate mining dates back to 1717. In the early years, slate was extracted at open-pit mines. It was not until after 1850 that the transition to underground mining occurred. The heyday of the roofing slate industry began around 1860 with a ministerial decree that prohibited roofing with straw. The increased demand for roofing slate led to the establishment of numerous slate quarries and tunnels, where miners earned their daily bread. For three centuries, slate was a sought-after building material well beyond Germany's borders.
Visits to the tunnel are possible by arrangement.
Contact person for tours:
Hans-Josef Söhngen Tel. 02745 932471, E-Mail: hans-josef.soehngen@freenet.de
Ulrich Merzhäuser, Tel. 02745/1618, E-Mail: uli.merzhaeuser@gmx.de
The recommended parking area is Otto-Hellinghausen-Platz (Kirmesplatz) at the corner of "Im Hüttenwald"/Brückenstraße in 57555 Mudersbach. From here, the slate tunnel can be comfortably reached on foot in 5 minutes.
The Schieferstollen Wilhelmslust was quarried in 1856 by a roofing master from Mudersbach after receiving permission from the Interessenwald. Its length is approximately 80 meters with two large extraction halls. From 2004 to 2006, the Sauerländischer Gebirgsverein Abt. Siegtal-Mudersbach e. V. (SGV) prepared the mine for visits. Since January 1, 2020, the local community of Mudersbach has been operating the visitor mine.
Contact and directions
Grube Ecke
57555 Mudersbach