Dachschiefergrube Assberg 

Die Dachschiefergrube „Assberg“ (genannt „Schiwakoul“) ist die wohl älteste und größte öffentlich zugängliche Schiefergrube des Westerwaldes . Sie wurde als Tagebau erstmals 1548 in einem Verleihungsdokument des Klosters Marienstatt erwähnt und war laut diesem Dokument schon lange vorher in Betrieb. Sie war

mehrere Hundert Jahre lang die wichtigste Materialquelle zur Dacheindeckung des Schlosses Hachenburg und des Klosters mit seinen vielen im weiten Umland gelegenen Wirtschaftsgebäuden.

Diese Stätte mittelalterlichen Bergbaus ist als GeoPunkt Teil des Nationalen Geoparks Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus, ein Netzwerk geologischer Sehenswürdigkeiten in Hessen und Rheinland-Pfalz, dem sich vier Landkreise angeschlossen haben.

Die historische Grube „Assberg“ besteht aus einem Tage- und Untertagebau mit einer Länge von ca. 240 Meter (von der Nister ausgehend) und einer Breite von ca. 70 Meter. Sie liegt direkt an Westerwald-Steig, Druidensteig sowie Marienwanderweg und kann auch von Limbach über mehrere Rundwanderwege (Limbacher Runden 21, 25 und 33) erwandert werden.

Von der Großen Nister ausgehend führt ein Treppensteig ca. 60 Höhenmeter steil bergan durch den Tagebau zum Stolleneingang. Zudem findet man auf der anderen Seite in Limbach in ca. 1 km Entfernung beim “Steingarten” auf der Hauptstraße (Ortsausgang Richtung Heimborn) einen Wanderparkplatz, von dem aus die Abbaustätte über gut ausgebaute Wege (auch per E-Bike) erreichbar ist.

The roofing slate mine "Assberg" (called "Schiwakoul") is probably the oldest and largest publicly accessible slate mine in the Westerwald. It was first mentioned as an open-cast mine in 1548 in an award document from Marienstatt Monastery and, according to this document, was already in operation long before that. It was

For several hundred years, it was the most important source of material for roofing Hachenburg Castle and the monastery with its many farm buildings in the surrounding area.

This site of medieval mining is part of the National Geopark Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus, a network of geological sights in Hessen and Rhineland-Palatinate, to which four districts have joined.

The historic "Assberg" mine consists of an open-cast and underground mine with a length of approx. 240 meters (starting from the Nister) and a width of approx. 70 meters. It is located directly on the Westerwald-Steig, Druidensteig and Marienwanderweg trails and can also be hiked from Limbach via several circular hiking trails (Limbacher Runden 21, 25 and 33).

Starting from the Große Nister, a stairway leads steeply uphill for around 60 meters through the open-cast mine to the tunnel entrance. There is also a hiking parking lot on the other side in Limbach, approx. 1 km away at the "Steingarten" on the main road (exit towards Heimborn), from where the mining site can be reached via well-maintained paths (also by e-bike).

The mine is located 20 meters below the surface and was excavated entirely by hand. Its shape is reminiscent of a chapel, which may have something to do with the fact that the mine was under the sovereignty of the monks of the Cistercian monastery of Marienstatt for several centuries. There are several legends surrounding this fact, which are based on historical facts and whose veracity requires further research. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Assberg slate mine had disappeared from people's memories.

The local community first learned about this "forgotten" underground mine in 1978. In cooperation with the Koblenz Mining Authority and the Geological Institute in Mainz, a search was carried out from 1981 onwards for an entrance to the mine mentioned in 1885. This was finally found on November 5, 1997 and made accessible to visitors from then on. Since then, it can be explored "at your own risk" all year round.

An official and free guided tour will take place this year on the occasion of "Geotope Day 2024" on Sunday, September 15.

Further guided tours for groups can be arranged individually with us.