Wolfstein Lime Mine offers underground trips, wine tasting

by Petra Lessoing
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Tour guides explain the features of the underground world to visitors, who ride on a pit train through the lime mine in Wolfstein.

Wolfstein, a town in Kusel County, lures visitors with a special attraction. The “Kalkbergwerk,” or lime mine, is an industrial monument and a museum of a special kind. It usually is open to the public from the end of March until the beginning of November.

Town officials say that the lime mine is an impressive destination, where visitors will be able to learn a lot about former times.

The underground world in the mountain demonstrates how hard people worked and what methods to win ore and lime were used. The technical cultural monument offers a ride on a pit train through winding tunnels with stone trails and bizarre rock spurs. In about 90-minute long guided tours, visitors learn how lime mining was conducted with traditional equipment. Throughout the year there is a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) with high humidity. Visitors are asked to wear sturdy shoes and dress accordingly. The tours are recommended for all age groups and are accessible for wheelchair users.

Courtesy photos
The lime mine in Wolfstein offers guided tours into its underground world.

Entrance cost is €5.50 for adults and €4.50 for youth. Family tickets cost €14.50

Opening hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays and German holidays. The last ride into the mine starts at 5 p.m.

Groups and school classes can register for guided tours by calling the Wolfstein Tourist Office at 06382-791-118.

Every third Saturday, underground wine tastings will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost €19.50. For groups of at least eight persons, wine tastings can be organized at other times also.

Wolfstein is located in the Lauter valley, on federal street B270, north of Kreimbach-Kaulbach and south of Lauterecken. For details, visit www.wolfstein.de or www.kalkbergwerk.com.

Visitors of the lime mine in Wolfstein get guided tours on a pit train. The tour is 90 minutes long.