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The Schlossberghöhlen in Homburg, Europe’s biggest red sandstone cave, is an awesome place to visit. It is the perfect excursion for the whole family.
What makes the tour so fun is not only do you get to explore but everyone gets to wear a helmet, so everyone looks like they are ready to mine! Helmets are, of course, worn for safety reasons and not your friends’ entertainment.
The temperature in the caves stays around 10 degrees Celsius all year long so it is best to dress in layers. Before you start your tour, you will receive a quick introduction on what will await you once inside as well as the ‘house’ rules. I am sure we have heard the saying, “you can look but not touch” and these rules also apply down below. Once everyone is below, the tour guide will give you a brief summary on how these man-made tunnels came to be and everyone gets to look for a fossil.
Expect to be amazed by these caves and their structures, which are cleverly set-off by lighting in various colors. The caves are 5 km in length, although your visit only takes you through about 800 meters during a 40 to 50 minute tour.
Here’a a little bit on the history of the caves:
The Schlossberg-caves were made by man. So they are, strictly speaking, a mine. Originally, in the 17th century, the extracted sand was used for the production of glass and also as moulding sand for the production of cast iron and for polishing for wood surfaces.
After the French occupation (1679-1714) the caves were forgotten about until they were rediscovered in the 1930s by playing children.
During the Second World War they served as protection against air raids. There is an impressive bunker area of the modern age which is directly connected with the Schlossberg caves. In the 1950s the bunker was built as a government shelter by Johannes Hoffmann, a local politician at the time.
Recently the Schlossberg caves were extensively reconstructed with generous support of the Ministry of Economics. The newly constructed safety facilities not only offer protection but also are integral elements worth seeing during this unforgettable experience.
The caves are open from April until October from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Entry for adults is €5 and children up to the age of 16, €3. Family and group rates are available. It is best to call for reservations and also for an English tour. Strollers cannot be brought into the caves, since the terrain is mainly sand with steep staircases.
Once you have been through the tour of the caves you can walk up to the Hohenburg castle ruins which lie right above the caves and offer a spectacular view of Homburg.
The caves are a circa 30-minute drive from the KMC. Visit www.homburger-schlossberghoehlen.de for more information or call 06841-2064 for reservations.
Schlossberghöhlen Homburg
Schlossberghöhlenstr. 1
66424 Homburg
