From the Wolfstein castles to the oil mill in Sankt Julian

Wolfstein

The town includes Altwolfstein Castle, which was the nucleus of the town, as well as Neuwolfstein Castle. A testimony to the industrial past is the Historic Show Calcite Mine in Wolfstein. A mine railway takes visitors under expert guidance into the limestone mine at Königsberg, where limestone was still mined underground and processed on-site until 1967. All facilities are original. The Königsberg limestone mine is considered an industrial monument of particular importance and is unique in Germany.

The romantic old town with its winding alleys invites you to dream and to stop for a visit in historic buildings.

Wolfstein (Limestone Mine)

The show calcite mine in 67752 Wolfstein is an industrial monument of a special kind. Mining has taken place in Wolfstein for centuries. In addition to ores and coal, limestone was also mined. Initially, it was an open-cast mine at the surface; later, the miners had to follow the limestone seams deeper underground.

However, the show limestone mine has a special feature: The limestone layer runs slightly inclined and relatively shallow into the mountain slope, so vertical tunnels could be avoided.
Because of this, it is now possible to reach the interior of the mountain comfortably by mine railway.

The Lauterecken-Wolfstein municipality, as the operator of this facility, looks forward to your visit.
For more information and packages, contact the

tourist info: Verbandsgemeinde Lauterecken-Wolfstein, Schulstraße 6a, 67742 Lauterecken, tel. 0 63 82 - 791 118

(during office hours).

Our tip: Wine tastings "underground" – a special experience here in the limestone mine at Königsberg.

Neuwolfstein

Rudolf of Habsburg began construction of the castle in 1275. It was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. In the Palatine War in 1688, the rebuilt castle was rendered uninhabitable by retreating enemy troops. It was taken by the French in 1713. Since then, the ruins have decayed. Today, within the preserved ring wall, there is a memorial site for fallen soldiers.

Altwolfstein

Emperor Barbarossa founded Altwolfstein Castle around 1170 on a rock ridge on the steep eastern slope of Königsberg at the narrowest point of the Lauter valley. In 1363 it was owned by joint heirs, vassals of Sponheim. In 1504, the castle was destroyed during a feud between Duke Alexander of Zweibrücken and Elector Philipp. Since then it has been a ruin. The 19 m high five-sided keep and parts of the enclosing walls are preserved.

Oil Mill Sankt Julian

The oil mill built in 1730 in St. Julian is today considered one of the last operational oil mills in all of Europe. The unique process of oil extraction is now only demonstrated for presentation purposes.
Its peeling or curing process with a shaking device and wind house is regarded by experts as unique in Germany.

The mill is now a protected monument and is considered a masterpiece of old mill construction.

In 2008 the mill received a new water wheel. The work was done independently by Reiner Klink, Berthold Bender, and Hans Werner Mensch. Thanks to the meticulous precision and love for detail by the two municipal workers, the mill has since been able to operate again in the "old" style, making it an experience "like before" for visitors.

The oil mill can be visited year-round by prior arrangement.

Contact: Tel: 01 71 - 26 39 07 6 (Mr. Klink or Mr. Metzger)

or touristinformation@kv-kus.de