Oberwolfach: Mining History, Minerals and Mathematics

Oberwolfach focuses on mining history, minerals and mathematics. At the theme park and MiMa, you can explore these topics from different perspectives; there is also the Wenzel Mine and a range of specific tours. When planning a stay, you can choose between exhibitions, a family puzzle tour with a backpack, and trails with published route details.

Mining History, Minerals and Mathematics

At the “Historic Mining, Minerals and Mathematics” theme park in Oberwolfach-Kirche, you can learn about the cultural heritage of the mining community and the connection between minerals and mathematics. Exhibits include various mining tools and a walk-through, historically furnished German timber-set tunnel, complete with a historic mine cart. There is also a mining locomotive, along with material and passenger wagons. A Corten steel sculpture featuring five Platonic solids also illustrates the connection between minerals and mathematics. Tools, a tunnel and vehicles are displayed alongside a clear reference to geometric solids.

MiMa – Museum of Minerals and Mathematics Oberwolfach features multimedia installations on crystal lattices and symmetries, virtual 3D flights, films and sculptures. A large proportion of the minerals and collections on display comes from the Oberwolfach Clara Mine. While the theme park also includes tunnels and mining equipment as part of its exhibition, MiMa offers a different emphasis, with media-based and mathematical displays. The main difference for you, then, lies in how these shared topics are presented.

The Wenzel Mine is also part of Oberwolfach’s mining history. It was once one of the most productive silver mines in the Central Black Forest.

Puzzle Tour and Hiking Trails

Anni’s Black Forest Mystery combines a scavenger hunt with an escape room. Families can take a backpack containing boxes, locks, clues and puzzles based on the story “The Missing Dwarf.” The focus here is on puzzles and storytelling, unlike the exhibitions with their displays. The tour’s hiking trail is not suitable for pushchairs; bear this in mind when planning. The tour starts and ends in Oberwolfach.

Oberwolfach has 93.3 kilometres of municipally owned, marked hiking trails. One individual route with specific figures is the Oberwolfach GeoTour: it starts and ends in Oberwolfach-Gelbach, is 5.6 kilometres long and has a total elevation gain of 260 metres. These details offer different kinds of guidance: the trail network describes the scope of the municipal offering, while the GeoTour gives the start, finish, length and elevation gain for one specific route.

Cycling Through the Side Valleys

Tour 06, the “Valley Tour,” runs from Oberwolfach-Kirche through the side valleys of the Wolftal and returns to Oberwolfach via Kreuzsattel, which lies on the Westweg. The route description gives you specific guidance on the starting point, side valleys and return journey. Check the route details locally again before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Berghaupten, Achern, Kehl, Kappelrodeck, Ohlsbach, Appenweier, Sasbach, Mahlberg

Back to the regional travel overview: Ortenaukreis.