チルンの湖・トップ20

This is the former Lehesten roofing slate opencast mine. Its dimensions alone are impressive; along with the nearby Oertelsbruch, it was one of the largest slate quarries on the continent (approximately 800 m long, 300 m wide, and up to 80 m deep). Source: Wikipedia

A beautiful region 🤩 If you like, you can also take a detour to the Alvater Tower.

Great facility with toilets, showers and charging facilities for cell phones or e-bikes. The bathing area is also very nice, although the depth of the Ölschnitzsee is manageable :)

In the "Land of Blue Gold," as the slate is called here because of its distinctive color, the tradition of Thuringian-Franconian slate mining can still be experienced today. This extraordinary industrial complex, located at what was once one of Europe's largest open-cast slate mines, provides a hands-on experience of the history and processing of slate. The entire Staatsbruch Slate Park area is a nature reserve. 170 Red List species have now been confirmed to have settled in this partially inaccessible area.

The Göpel shaft system, unique in Europe, is the heart of the “Historic Lehesten Slate Mining” monument ensemble and the trademark of the slate park. The Göpel shaft system was built around 1850, five years after the open-cast mine opened. On the north-west edge of the now closed and flooded roofing slate open-cast mine, the Göpel shaft was used to lift mined slate rock and thus stabilize the production flow. The rock was transported to the adjacent double-slitting hut and processed.

Beautiful views around the dam.

Nice opportunity for a rest

Attention: Currently (May 2024) the missing section of the cycle path to the Rennsteig is being built at Ölschnitzsee. That is why the road from the Rennsteig is closed. However, you can drive from Windheim to the lake. Another tip: If the water is already too warm in all the swimming pools in midsummer, then the Ölschnitzsee is just right for swimming.