16 golden years

iron ore was mined at the St. Anna shaft from 1958 to 1974.

A chronological overview

The shaft was sunk to a depth of 115 metres and  was then driven underground to the ore fields of the ‘St. Georg’, ‘Schützenheim’ and ‘Galgenberg’ sections.

The headframe and six buildings were built above ground during this period.

On 6 December 1958, the St.  Anna shaft was officially opened in the presence of the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr Otto Schedl.

Operation as a winding shaft from 1958

Up to 2,500 tonnes of ore per day could be extracted from the St. Anna shaft.

Underground, outside the ore stockpiles, new tunnels were driven to the as yet undeveloped ‘Großenfalz’ field in the north-west and ‘Eichelberg’ in the south-east. The Klenze winding shaft was connected to the St. Anna shaft by a lateral branch underground from the alignment to Großenfalz. This meant that ore extraction could be discontinued there.

The construction of twelve additional buildings began above ground for the planned operation as the main production shaft.

Operation as main production shaft from 1962

In the meantime, around 450 miners were employed in the mine. It extended underground for approx. 4.5 kilometres. 

Above ground, there were 18 buildings on the vast shaft site. The ore reserves of the adjacent north-western parts of the field were exhausted in 1974 and the St. Anna shaft was closed.

The linking of the ore deposits in the ‘Eichelberg’ section had to be abandoned due to massive flooding. The additional ‘Eichelberg’ shaft was built there in 1967.

Conversion of some buildings from 1974

After the closure of the shaft, part of the mine site initially remained in the possession of Maxhütte. Other uses were found for the buildings on it. They were used by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for vocational training and provided space for a senior citizens‘ workshop and day centre.

Demolition of part of the buildings in 1993

The Maxhütte sold the larger part of the mine site to the town of Sulzbach-Rosenberg in the 1980s. The town demolished the acquired buildings by 1993 and designated the area as a mixed residential and commercial zone. The plots were then sold as building plots.

Demolition of almost all remaining buildings by 2008

In the 2000s, the town of Sulzbach-Rosenberg also acquired the rest of the former mine site. In 2008, the buildings were demolished, with the exception of the pit head and the former administration building.

The area was then also designated as a mixed-use area. Finally, the building sites and the former administration building were sold by the town.

Transformation of the current shaft site by 2023

The winding tower was recognised as a historical monument in 2017 and renovated in 2017 and 2018 in order to preserve it permanently.

In 2022 and 2023, the site was redesigned as a place to learn, linger and preserve Sulzbach-Rosenberg's mining history.