Monteneve is Europe's highest-altitude mine, located between Val Ridanna and Val Passiria in Tyrol. At around 2000 m, it was a valuable source of silver, zinc and lead for a millennium, where droves of miners worked and died in extreme working conditions. The mine's isolated location led to the construction of the world's largest rail transport system.
Closed in 1985, the Monteneve mine is now a museum, an extraordinary place of visit open to the public, where the entire production process and the technologies developed over eight hundred years are illustrated. It is part of the South Tyrolean Provincial Mining Museum.
The exhibition in the Ridanna Monteneve Mining World presents unique documents on the geology and minerals of Montenve and Vipiteno, the tools, customs and traditions of the miner, developments in the field of underground illumination of mine measurement and much more.
Opening hours of the Mining World Ridanna Monteneve
RIDANNA
Juin-October
How to get there
The Schneeberg site is located at 2,355 m above sea level and is only accessible on foot via good paths in less than two hours from the Timmelsjoch Pass road in the Passeier Valley, or in four hours from Ridnaun/Maiern.
- Starting from the Passeier Valley: By car from Meran take the SS44 to Moos in Passeier, then the SS44bis another 9.3 km towards the Timmelsjoch as far as the Schneeberg Bridge. Parking is possible some 200 metres before the bridge. From the end of the Schneeberg Bridge follow Path no. 31 up to Seemoos, then continue on Path no. 29 to the former miners’ settlement of St. Martin. Ascent: 690 metres. On foot: approx. 2 hours.
- Starting from Ridnaun/Maiern: From the Mining Museum take the road (7 km) or the mining trail to the Poschhaus ruins. From there continue on the marked trail to the Schneeberg Pass, then descend to the miners’ settlement of St. Martin with the Schneeberg refuge. From July until mid-October the Museum runs a shuttle bus from Maiern to the Poschhaus (time saved approx. 2 hrs). Ascent: 1,300 metres, descent: 350 metres. On foot: approx. 4 hours.
Information
Provincial Mining Museum
Ridnaun - Monteneve
Maseria 48 - I-39040 Ridanna
Tel: (+39) 0472 656364
