goldene Schale mit zwei Bergmännerfiguren
© Bergbau- und Gotikmuseum Leogang, Foto: Susanne Bayer

Red Gold. The Miracle of Herrengrund

Mining, which was a major activity in the Saxon-Bohemian Ore Mountains from the twelfth century onwards, played a key role in shaping the character of the Dresden Kunstkammer, which was founded around 1560. Among the centerpieces of the collection were so-called Handsteine (literally ›hand stones‹). These clumps of rock, the size of a hand, were extracted by miners and then tested for their ore content. In the Kunstkammer, they demonstrated the wealth and power of the Saxon ruling dynasty. 

  • Dates 29/08/2025—04/01/2026
  • Opening Hours daily 10—17, Tuesday closed Friday 10—19
  • Admission Fees normal 16 €, reduced 12 €, under 17 free, Groups (10 persons and more) 14,50 €

Further east

Further east, the Staré Hory Mountains in what is now Slovakia also provided coveted raw materials. More than 400 years ago, miners there made a sensational discovery near the village of Herrengrund (called Špania Dolina in Slovakian): iron tools left behind in the mine water were found to have turned into copper after several weeks. Goldsmiths then used this copper to make small gilded vessels, which celebrated the successes of the miners and became coveted collector‘s items.

They often feature an inscription referring to the seemingly miraculous transformation: ›Iron I was, copper I am, gold covers me.‹ 

Skulptur bestehend aus Naturstein und kleinen Bergleuten
© MAK Wien, Foto: Susanne Bayer
Handstein, Paul Kolbany (?), wohl Neusohl/Banská Bystrica, um 1750

At the focus

At the focus of the exhibition in the Grünes Gewölbe are works from the Middelschulte Foundation, one of the largest collections of such copper vessels. It is now on permanent loan to the museum in Leogang. These items are complemented by exhibits from Aachen, Bochum, Budapest, Munich, and Vienna, including spectacular table decorations in the form of miniature mountains comprising numerous mineral specimens. 

goldene Schale mit zwei Bergmännerfiguren
© Bergbau- und Gotikmuseum Leogang, Foto: Susanne Bayer
Henkelschale, Herrengrund/Špania Dolina, frühes 18. Jahrhundert

Exhibition by

Exhibition by the Grünes Gewölbe in association with the Museum of Mining and Gothic Art Leogang

Program

more events

Further Exhibitions

Further Exhibitions

Grünes Gewölbe

in Residenzschloss

Münzkabinett

in Residenzschloss

Münzen, Medaillen und Orden

Kupferstich-Kabinett

in Residenzschloss

Portrait eines Mannes mit Hut und Vollbart

Kunstkammer

in Residenzschloss

Brettspiel mit 30 farbigen Holzsteinen
All Exhibitions

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