Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum: "Flourishing mining is flourishing art"

The content of the museum is in line with the motto "flourishing mining is flourishing art", as the end of the Middle Ages was the heyday of mining in the Archbishopric of Salzburg, especially in Leogang. The riches that were acquired were used to commission Gothic works of art that are world-class today.
The Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum is home to mining masterpieces and sacred Gothic art of top European quality, such as the Prayer Nut of Mary of Burgundy. The museum is also distinguished by the numerous returns of European cultural assets, such as looted art or objects lost through the art trade.

The aim of the permanent and special exhibitions is to highlight the beauty of the exhibits and convey the history behind them in a lively way. A medieval smithy has been reactivated and a painting and carving room set up to show visitors medieval craftsmanship in practice.
The Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum focuses on the very highest quality and has gained an excellent international reputation thanks to its high-quality exhibitions, professional approach and personal communication. This is reflected in particular in the high-ranking special exhibitions in cooperation with the largest European museums.

Special exhibition: Red gold - the miracle of Herrengrund, photo Susanne Bayer © Bergbau & Gotikmuseum Leogang

Special exhibition: Red gold - The miracle of Herrengrund
The upcoming special exhibition is dedicated to historical mining treasures from the Slovakian Ore Mountains. The focus is on one of the most extensive and important collections of Herrengrund vessels from private ownership. In combination with the splendor of the hand stones and other mining art objects, the richness of the cultural region and the sense of status of the miners in the areas around Herrengrund (Špania Dolina) are particularly expressed.
The "Miracle of Herrengrund" refers to copper mining in the Slovakian Ore Mountains. Around 400 years ago, the miners probably noticed that iron objects left behind in the mining water were transformed into copper after a few weeks, a process that must have seemed mysterious to the miners, like a miracle. They skillfully used this discovery to produce cement copper and use it to make art objects, in order to make what was then considered a rather mysterious way of extracting copper widely known.
The production of hand stones began in the 16th century in the Bohemian Ore Mountains, and in the 18th century the art of hand stone carving was taken up in the Slovakian Ore Mountains, particularly in the towns of Banská Štiavnica, Kremnica and Banská Bystrica. These baroque hand stones are characterized above all by the composition of many different minerals, especially mining scenes can be seen.
From May 23, 2024

Salzburg arts and crafts
This exhibition focuses on arts and crafts from the Middle Ages to the present day, arranged according to materials such as rock crystal, ibex horn, gold, silver, iron, ceramics, wood and bone, which were produced or used in the greater Salzburg area. In addition to their artistic value, the objects on display often possess a mystical power that was attributed to them depending on the material. Our aim for the exhibition is to express the richness, beauty and mysticism of the art objects from our cultural region.
until October 31, 2024

Salzburg arts and crafts, photo Susanne Bayer © Bergbau & Gotikmuseum Leogang

The art of the Romanesque period
In addition to Gothic sculptures, valuable Romanesque works of art can now also be admired in Leogang. These include a St. Anne, which is considered to be one of the earliest sculptures of St. Anne. It dates back to the final phase of the Romanesque period around 1200 and was made in the Puster Valley, in the former ecclesiastical province of Salzburg. The figure is significant not only because of its great age, but also because of the iconographic uniqueness created by the crowning of both figures. The exhibition also includes a gilded bronze crucifix from the second half of the 12th century and a selection of enamel works from Limoges, which reflect the importance of craftsmanship in the Romanesque period.

The art of the Romanesque period, photo Susanne Bayer © Bergbau & Gotikmuseum Leogang

Ecclesiastical Treasury, Salzburg
Medieval Salzburg was one of the four most important principalities in Europe in religious, cultural, economic and political terms. Archbishops, abbots and abbesses commissioned the best craftsmen for the cathedral and monasteries to produce the most valuable works of art from exquisite materials for their treasuries.
The centerpiece of this exhibition is a 14 cm tall Salzburg Madonna and Child made of boxwood from around 1400. The figure, which today impresses with its outstanding carving, once appeared in precious shining gold with blue painted mantles. Many thanks to the sponsor, who is very close to the Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum, and to all the lenders from the "Geistliche Schatzkammer, Salzburg."
The valuable objects highlight the importance of the medieval archbishopric of Salzburg. In order to emphasize the uniqueness, high quality and sacredness of the objects, a conscious decision was made to present them without labels - in keeping with the motto "Look and be amazed".

Ecclesiastical Treasury, Salzburg, photo Susanne Bayer © Bergbau & Gotikmuseum Leogang

Nora von Watteck's chamber of treasures and wonders
In the Renaissance and Baroque periods, many wealthy princes set up prestigious chambers of art and curiosities. They were intended to demonstrate the wealth and artistic sense as well as the spiritual level of the owner in keeping with the spirit of the times.
The art-historical interests of Nora von Watteck, probably Salzburg's most important folklorist, were awakened at pre-school age by her grandfather, an antiquarian who had created a cabinet of curiosities for himself in a separate room.
Ms. Watteck began to continually add to her grandfather's cabinet of curiosities in Salzburg's Brodgasse. After her death in 1993, her son, Privy Councillor Prof. DI Arno von Watteck, took care of additions and spatial structuring.
The fact that this cabinet of curiosities came to the Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum is no coincidence, but is based on the formative friendly relationship between the son Arno von Watteck and curator Prof. Hermann Mayrhofer. The purpose of the exhibition is to preserve the name of Nora von Watteck and the magnificent collection and make them accessible to the public.
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