Holiday Magazin Harz - Experience the Oberharz

„GLÜCK AUF“-
THIS IS THE
HARZ
GREETING
Foto: TMN Markus Tiemann
Foto: TMN Markus Tiemann
Oberharz Historical Water Supply System & Mining
The highest located UNESCO World Heritage
site consists of three parts: the old town of Goslar
and the “Rammelsberg” ore mine, and the less well
known “Oberharz Water Supply System”.
This “masterpiece of human creativity” has
been part of the World Heritage since 2010,
joining the list alongside the Great Wall of China,
the Statue of Liberty, and the Pyramids of Giza. From
the 16th century onwards, Cistercian monks created
ponds, trenches, and water channels with a total
length of 341 km as a water supply system in order to
use the energy for mining. Silver, lead, and copper
were mined using hydropower alone until the 19th
century. The “Oberharz water supply system“ is
thus one of the most important pre-industrial
energy supply systems in the world. Without
the intensive use of water energy, the Harz would
probably not have been able to develop into one of
the most important
mining regions. Today, the water supply system
is a protected monument, but still partly used for
drinking water production. Find out more about this
extraordinary mining region, which you can explore
in numerous mines, pits, and tunnels, underground
and above, as well as on hikes through
the landscape dotted with ponds.
Our tourist information offices will be happy
to help with the selection and booking of tours
and world heritage guides.
BOOK A HOLIDAY IN THE OBERHARZ +49 (0)5328 8020 · www.oberharz.de
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