Mining Technology Park in Leipzig New Lake District

Name: Mining Technology Park in Leipzig New Lake District
Address: Am Westufer 2, Großpösna, Leipzig, 04463, Deutschland
Telephone: +49 34297 / 14012 - 7

Short facts

Großpösna
Other, Other attraction
+49 34297 / 14012 - 7
www.bergbau-technik-park.de

The opencast mining history of Leipzig and the surrounding region lives on in the Mining and Technology Park. The Leipzig New Lake District owes its existence to the enormous opencast mining cranes.

As incredible as it may seem, the beautiful bathing lakes of Leipzig's New Lake District owe their existence to the region's mining history. After the old excavation cavities were flooded and converted into stunning local recreational areas, there was not much left to remind visitors of the mining chapter in the history of Leipzig. However, if you look into the distance at Lake Markkleeberg or Lake Störmthal, you can see the giant mining equipment on display at the Mining and Technology Park. At the park, you can explore the Espenhain mine on your own with the help of information points, an audio guide or a tour with a former miner. The process of lignite mining is well illustrated at the Mining and Technology Park and just seeing the enormous equipment up close already makes the visit worthwhile.

In the area south of Leipzig, the past, present and future of lignite mining all come together. Right next door to two mining areas where lignite is still being actively excavated, visitors and tourists can experience and enjoy the recultivated landscape of Leipzig's New Lake District after its renaturation. Furthermore, right in the middle of it all and covering an area of 5.4 hectares, the Mining and Technology Park brings the lignite mining process to life for visitors and covers topics from the water table drawdown and coal extraction to overburden excavation and clean-up.

The Mining and Technology Park is one of three stops on the Saxon Industrial Culture Route that are located in western Saxony. Highlights of the exhibits are two pieces of large-scale equipment, the 1,300-tonne bucket excavator 1547 and the 2,400-tonne spreader 1115. Built by the TAKRAF company in the 1980s, they are original artifacts illustrating the art of engineering. There is plenty more on offer too, including specially-created texts and audio guides for children to inform young visitors about not only geology and technology but also the miners and the countless "lost places" that disappeared to make way for the lignite mines. The Tertiär adventure playground informs visitors of all ages about the origins of lignite.

On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, at 11 am (or by appointment), former miners from the Espenhain opencast mine will guide you through the grounds and exhibitions in an entertaining and informative way.

Would you like to find out more about the Mining and Technology Park? Then listen to our podcast, "Willkommen in Leipzig" ("Welcome to Leipzig" - German only). Among other things, it includes an interesting interview with director and curator Thorsten Hinz!