Mining of iron and copper ores in the Urff Valley in the Keller Forest Nature & National Park Geopark Region was first documented in 1252. In its heyday in the 16th century, about 1,000 people lived in Bergfreiheit. There were 19 smelting works and a total of about 20 km long mining tunnels. In a rock profile ranging from the Middle Devonian (approx. 380 million years ago) to the Lower Carboniferous (approx. 350 million years ago), copper ores are found at the "Kleine Leuchte" near Bergfreiheit. These were mined between 1550 and 1750. In the 450-year-old tunnels of the "Bertsch" visitor mine, which have been preserved in their original state, visitors feel transported back in time to the days when the intricately hewn tunnels were cut into the rock by hand.
The "Bertsch" visitor mine is located near the western end of Bergfreiheit, directly on the road to Gemünden.
For more info, visit the museum's homepage.