𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗯𝗮𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘇
Veldenz mining was first mentioned in the history of the County of Veldenz in the form of documents from Count Georg Johannes in 1570. Mining played an important role at that time. Count Georg Johannes (1562-1592) had a mint set up in Veldenz in order to mint coins there. The "Münzstraße" in Veldenz is a reminder of this. The name of the district "Veldenzer Hammer" probably came about because there was a stamp mill here 400 years ago, which crushed copper ore so finely that it could be melted with charcoal, which came from the local forests. Hammering, melting and forging of metal with water-powered hammers took place at the "Veldenzer Hammer". The charcoal was stored in the so-called coal shed, which was later converted into a restaurant and café. The fenced shaft close by held a secret until 1995. Experts discovered a small opening at a depth of 20 m on the bottom of the shaft, which leads into a 1.50 m x 9.00 m chamber. A rare cultural monument came to light, the "Veldenzer Radstube". Radstuben of this size were previously only known from Saxony and the Harz Mountains. In this wheel room there was a water wheel made of oak wood (80 cm wide, 8.00 m in diameter), which drove piston pumps, also made of wood, to pump water out of deeper tunnels. This wheel was powered by water brought in via ditch systems from nearby ponds. Field names such as "In den Weiher" still refer to these ponds today. The ditch systems were largely destroyed by road construction, but are still partially recognizable in the terrain. The examination of a wood sample, which was found in June 2007 in a tunnel leading to the Radstube, which had been closed for more than 100 years, corresponds to the last operating phase (around 1755) of the pit. Source: text information board