This station is located in the outdoor area, right next to the exit of the Grottoneum.

Gold and gemstones have fascinated people for millennia. Because of their beauty, they are still considered symbols of wealth, power, and prestige today. Worldwide, professional gold seekers as well as hobby prospectors set out in search of the earth’s glittering treasures.

Thuringia also once experienced its own gold rush. Numerous gold seekers combed the streams and rivers of the Thuringian Slate Mountains to search for the coveted precious metal with gold pans and sluice boxes. The oldest documented gold mine in Thuringia dates back to the mid-14th century. It was located in the village of Reichmannsdorf near Saalfeld. Hopes for great finds were high – but the yield usually remained low. Only a few actually became wealthy.

In the 19th century, gold prospecting developed worldwide into a popular way to legally seek one’s fortune. Between 1861 and 1863, hundreds of thousands of people joined the gold rush in Otago, New Zealand, or followed the famous Klondike Gold Rush in North America starting in 1896.

Driven by the hope of a big find, they endured hard physical labor, extreme weather, and often poor living and hygienic conditions. The path to wealth was narrow – and for most, the dream of gold remained unfulfilled.