Reinsberg

Conservation of Historic Mining Water Systems in the Ore Mountains

The Grabentour canal near Reinsberg is located within the UNESCO World
Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Region, a transboundary landscape in Saxony
Heritage
Mining
cultural
(Germany) and Czechia inscribed in
2019. Shaped by more than eight
centuries of mining, the region
documents the technological and social developments associated with the extraction of silver, tin, and other ores that drove the area’s economic growth. A defining feature of this landscape is its extensive historic water-management system. From the late Middle Ages onwards, networks of artificial channels, ponds, and underground conduits were constructed to supply the water power required for pumping, hoisting, and ore processing, representing outstanding examples of early industrial engineering and forming an integral part of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value. Constructed between 1844 and 1846 to supply water to mining operations, the Grabentour extends approximately 7.8 kilometres through the Bobritzsch Valley, combining open ditches, rock-cut sections, and underground passages and connecting directly to the Rothschönberger Stolln, one of the principal drainage adits of the Freiberg Mining Landscape. Today, the route is preserved as a cultural hiking path linking mining monuments and landscape features, maintaining its historical function as well as its importance for local heritage awareness.
Project description

The project focuses on conservation work along a historic mining water-management structure that formed part of the technological infrastructure of the Ore Mountains. The interventions will address approximately 300 metres of the Grabentour canal near Reinsberg, a section currently affected by sedimentation, vegetation overgrowth, and structural displacement that obscure its historic form and limit accessibility.

Hands-on conservation will centre on the careful clearing of accumulated debris, uncovering the original canal profile and enabling assessment of its condition. Participants will stabilise and repair damaged areas of the dry-stone channel walls using traditional construction techniques, reusing original stone material wherever possible and reassembling unstable sections to restore structural coherence while retaining historic fabric. Additional measures will include the cleaning and basic conservation of the nearby memorial stone of Lorenz von Schönberg, as well as minor maintenance of interpretative elements and visitor infrastructure along the route. All interventions will be carried out under the guidance of experienced craftspeople, ensuring compatibility with historic construction methods and supporting the long-term preservation of this water-management system within the mining landscape. The educational programme will provide participants with an in-depth understanding of mining heritage conservation, linking practical fieldwork to the historical function of hydraulic systems and their role within the World Heritage cultural landscape.
REQUIREMENTS: CV, Motivation Letter and interview

ACCOMMODATION: basic facilities, shared rooms with beds, warm showers and toilets.

LOCATION: Reinsberg, Saxony