Austria

June 17 - July 14, 2009

Monday, June 22 - Schwaz

The silver mine and historic Schwaz

500 years ago more than 10,000 miners searched for silver and copper and made Tirol one of the richest countries of Europe. Once Schwaz was the largest mining metropolis with more than 85% of the world's silver production. The silver mine of Schwaz influenced the medieval European politics and financed the discovery of the New World. For example, the wealth it created was used to influence the appointment of Karl V as German King. The financial power of the Fuggers, who once held as much as 10% of the world's capital, was created by silver mining in Schwaz. Regional prosperity led to the minting of the first Guldiner in the nearby town of Hall in 1486 - thus the Thaler was born , European currency for more than 300 years.

The region was also reknowned for the many advances in building, engineering and the use of water power that took place there. The "Schwazer Wasserkunst" was considered a masterpiece of mining technology and described at the time as one of the wonders of the world. Schwaz developed into the largest mining town and was - after Vienna - the Habsburg Empire's second largest town.

Rubby had the "knabbenplatte" (miner's special) -
pork medallions in mushroom sause with Spaetzle.

Some little birds kept us company and tidied up any food that Christopher dropped.

Samantha chilling before the tour starts.

Time to get helmets and raincoats for the mine.

We're all set!

The chapel next to the mine entrance.

The mine entrance.

Christopher and poppa sitting in the little train that will take us down into the mine.

The barrow train in the mine entrance. This train took us 800 m into the mountain.

Samantha is excited... we're about to go!

One of the first displays shows how the early miners had to continuously haul water out of the mines in leather satchels.

An example of the carts used to haul out the rocks.

The aquatic art of Schwaz -
a technological masterpiece which replaced the manual hauling out of water.
Left - the model, right - the real thing

In the old days, the rocks had to be hammered out by hand.

Rudimentary blasting.

A display on the more modern blasting techniques.

The kids enjoying the 'show'.

At this picture display, the guide explained how young kids had to use these giant bellows to blow fresh air through the caves. Months later while pumpong up her air mattress, Sam commented how it was just like the kids had to do in the mines. *grin*

Much of the passageways have been cemented over.

Workers and management - as it has always been. ;-)

Bye, bye train!

A little robin-like bird.

This extremely colourful house looked out of place next to the cathedral.

The Virgin Mary cathedral is the biggest gothic cathedral in Tirol and Europe's only 4 naved church with 2 equal main naves (left for the bourgeois, right for the miners). The more than 14000 copper plates covering the roof are a testament to the early riches of the Schwaz mines.