The winding tower of the Marienschacht, a so-called Malakow tower ( see Wikipedia ), is a landmark on the outskirts of Dresden that is clearly visible from many directions due to its exposed location, its size and shape. From here you also have a great view over Dresden.

The museum is located in the headframe of the former Marienschacht coal mine. It reports on the history of mining in the region and in Saxony. It offers, for example, a small mine railway and garden railway system that is in operation.

The Marienschacht is currently owned by Bergsicherung Freital GmbH. This would like to keep it as a testimony to the local mining history. You can rent several rooms in the building.

The bike and hiking trail from Dresden-Gittersee to Possendorf, which runs on a former mining railway line, runs alongside the building. The most beautiful part of this path is between Gittersee and Marienschacht.

To mining history

In 1886, the "Freiherrlich von Burgker Steinkohlenwerke" began the work on the Marienschacht. Due to large amounts of water, it took a total of 7 years to work through it. From 1893 to 1930, a total of 1.2 million tons of hard coal were then mined and operations subsequently ceased.

In 1957, the "Willi Agatz" Gittersee coal mine put the mine back into operation, and in 1968 SDAG Wismut took over coal production for the extraction of uranium. In 1989 the shaft was finally closed and filled. Extensive renovation work was then carried out on the dump by Wismut GmbH. The entire conveyor system was retained and, along with the building complex, is a listed building.

Above the shaft stands the so-called hothouse (Kaue), made of quarry stone masonry - also known as the "Malakow tower". This building is a technical monument of mining construction from the end of the 18th century and, of its kind, the only surviving subsidy in East Germany.