Top 20 Caves around Wetter (Ruhr)

The Stollen Braunschweig Südflügel is a historic adit portal of the former Zeche Braunschweig coal mine in Bommern, a district of Witten (North Rhine-Westphalia). Key facts: • Location: Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia (near the German Mining and Field Railway Museum and the former forced labor camp Nachtigallstraße). • Operating period: The Zeche Braunschweig was in operation, with interruptions, from 1748 to 1886; the Südflügel was used until 1885. • Function: The adit served to drain iron-rich mine water and supply fresh air. • Current condition: Of the original adit portal, mainly the upper part is visible today, as the lower part was built over during the construction of a road. The emerging water can be recognized by a typical ochre discoloration. • Background: The mine was divided into a north and a south wing and belonged to the Märkisch mining district (Hardenstein mining district).

The western Frielinghaus open-pit tunnel is a historic tunnel in the Muttental that was part of the Frielinghaus mine. This mine was a hard coal mine in the Vormholz-Hardenstein district of Witten and was put into operation in 1771. The western open-pit tunnel was driven from the Hardenstein valley to connect the Erbstollenboden with the Muttental1. The Frielinghaus mine is now part of the Muttental mining hiking trail, which includes numerous historic mining sites and artifacts. Source: KI

The post-war tunnel in Muttental is a historic mining tunnel that is part of the Muttental mining hiking trail in Witten. This hiking trail leads through a region that is considered the cradle of Ruhr mining and shows numerous relics from the early mining era2. The post-war tunnel is one of the last tunnel entrances that can be visited on the mining circular trail. It is a testament to the mining activities that were briefly revived after the world wars due to the lack of fuel. Source: KI

The Braunschweig South Wing tunnel is a historic mining tunnel in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia. It belongs to the former Braunschweig mine, which was in operation between 1748 and 1886. The tunnel is located near the German Mining and Field Railway Museum and the former forced labor camp Nachtigallstrasse2. The Braunschweig mine consisted of two wings, the north wing and the south wing. Mining in the south wing began in 1750 and was operated by the tradesmen Johann Peter Hundeiker and Gerhard Peter Merklinghaus. Today the tunnel is part of the Route of Industrial Heritage and a popular destination for hikes and circular walks. Source: KI

West of the branch that leads from Nachtigallstraße to Steinhausen, the Mausegatt coal seam appeared on the steep mountain slope. The coal layer was awarded on February 6, 1751 under the name Braunschweig. It sank to the south to the Borbecker Mulde and to the north to the Nachtigaller Mulde. Source: "When coal was still the future"; Gerhard Koetter, Klartext publishing house

The Frielinghaus mine in the Witten district of Vormholz-Hardenstein is a former hard coal mine. The mine was also known as the Frielinghaus Gerichts Herbede mine. From 1832 onwards, the mine was also known as the Frielinghaus Tiefbau mine, Frielinghausen mine or Frilinghausen mine. Parts of the mine are now part of the Muttental mining hiking trail. Source and link to the full article: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeche_Frielinghaus

During the period of coal shortage after World War II, the remains of existing coal deposits were extracted from this tunnel. The mining operation was probably not registered, so the name of the tunnel cannot be determined exactly. The Aufgottgewagt mine, which was last granted mining rights here in 1774, had left the coal remains standing in earlier times. In front of the tunnel entrance there was a loading ramp from which the coal was loaded for further transport. Source: Panel 30 at the tunnel entrance (route•industriekultur•)

Coal was once made there