The secrets of the miners!
The Salzbergwerk Altaussee salt mine is Austria's largest still active salt mine. Its veins are the mysterious tunnels that lead directly into the fascinating world of the miners. Every step takes you deeper into their stories and fates. Saving the treasures!
The Second World War. The Nazis steal priceless works of art and hide them in the Altaussee mine. Treasures by Michelangelo, Dürer, Rubens and Vermeer are in danger of being lost. But then? - Experience an exciting multimedia show about the spectacular rescue of around 9,500 works of art. Directly in the depot tunnel, where contemporary history becomes tangible.
From the chapel of salt to the salt lake! The Chapel of St Barbara sparkles deep in the heart of the mountain. Built from pure salt in honour of the patron saint of miners, it is the sacred centre of the mine. From there, glide down the fast-paced miner's slide to the next magical highlight: the spectacular light and sound show at the underground salt lake.
What else you need to know:
The Altaussee Salt Worlds are the perfect adventure for children (aged four and over) and adults. As special services, we offer audio guides (E/I/F/SLO/CZ/SK/H/RU/ES/HE/LT), day combination offers for groups, a free car park and guided tours during the winter.
Special Tour: Bombs on Michelangelo
The "The Luck of Art" exhibition tells the exciting story of why the Altaussee salt mine was used as a storage facility for art treasures of immeasurable value in 1943 and how they were saved from destruction by the Nazis by courageous miners from Aussee. The special thing about it is that the exhibition is located in the exact place where the Nazis had stored the artefacts - in the 270 m² "Springerwerk".
Paintings by Jan Vermeer, Pieter Brueghel and Rembrandt were stored in these chambers, as well as the Tassilo chalice from Kremsmünster Abbey, the giant Bible from St Florian's Abbey and the spectacular Ghent Altarpiece by the van Eyck brothers.
The centrepiece of the art treasures hidden in Altaussee was undoubtedly Michelangelo's Madonna from the Church of Our Lady in Bruges. It had been stolen from the church by the National Socialists in 1944 and found its way to Altaussee in an adventurous way. After the war, it was brought back to Belgium undamaged by American art experts. A cast of the statue was made in Bruges especially for the exhibition in the Altaussee Salt Mine.
By the way:
The adventurous story about stolen art objects, secret hiding places in the Altaussee mine and courageous men also provided some of the Hollywood material for the film "The Monuments Men". The film stars Hollywood stars George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bill Murray in their roles as American art experts saving Europe's art treasures from destruction by the Nazis and from the clutches of communism.
Predicate: Heroic high tension! But to be honest: the original Altaussee story can easily keep up!
Detailed information, e-tickets and events can also be found on the Salzwelten Website.