Wear a hard hat and learn about Tirol’s mining history at Kupferplatte Copper Mine in the Kitzbühel Alps. Situated south of Kitzbühel, this mine takes you hundreds of meters below Jochberg in a tunnel bored in medieval times to see veins of copper ore and other mining treasures.
The earliest records of copper mining in Jochberg in the Kitzbühel Alps date back to the late Middle Ages. After flourishing in the 19th century, Kupferplatte Copper Mine finally closed for good in 1926. It wasn’t until 1990, after decades of lying inactive, that the mine was brought back to life as a show mine. Since then, the Copper Mine in Jochberg has given visitors a look into Tirol’s mining history. Grander Family has invested much money and time in painstakingly restoring the old tunnels and shafts and welcomes visitors to the mine each summer. As knowledgeable guides, they will explain how the tunnels were created, the tools needed, the perseverance of the dedicated men and the dangers they faced each day working underground. Workers would have extracted the copper ore at different levels, starting at the top and working their way down in a series of steps. Kupferplatte Copper Mine is, in fact, the only copper mine in Central Europe still accessible to the public. Above ground, the newly created Miners’ Trail with its ten stations gives visitors of all ages the chance to learn more about mining in the region.
The earliest records of copper mining in Jochberg in the Kitzbühel Alps date back to the late Middle Ages. After flourishing in the 19th century,…
