Mining and local history museum - Knappenhaus Unterlaussa

Since 1998, our museum has been conveying the mining industry to visitors in the Eisenwurzen region. The extraction of the raw materials found here, such as jet (a type of coal that can be ground and polished, which has been used since the Stone Age to create jewelry), iron ore, coal, and bauxite (which is the only mining area in Austria), used as a raw material for aluminum production, forms the main theme of the exhibition. Experience authentic stories from former workers and residents of the mining settlement Weißwasser in a video. "GRASP" original tools, known as Gezähe, of the miners. A reconstruction of a piece of mining tunnel leads the way back "into the open," where you can learn about the longest material cable car in Central Europe at that time. Additionally, the topic of "Aluminum - from production to the final product" is presented here. The subsequent Dr. Oskar Kortan room takes you into the copper mining region of Cyprus. The family of Oskar Kortan, a loyal supporter of the "Knappenhaus Unterlaussa," makes his privately collected artifacts available as a permanent loan. The objects presented here are up to 6000 years old.

Special Exhibition on the Upper Floor:
Classic Motorcycles from the Region After the extremely successful predecessor special exhibition, "Finds Tell Stories," of the National Park Kalkalpen, the "Mining and Local History Museum-Knappenhaus Unterlaussa" was able to organize a new sensational exhibition. Classic motorcycles from the region may not seem directly related to the theme of a mining and local history museum at first glance, but upon closer inspection, this special exhibition reveals a close connection to the area. All motorcycles were owned by residents of Unterlaussa during their operational time. Thus, these machines return, at least for a short time, to their former homeland. Motorcycle collector Christian Michtner from Admont has gathered these gems over many years of passionate collecting and is showcasing them publicly for the first time. Puch, KTM, Horex, Ducati, and other brands are the machines on display. Additionally, Michtner makes part of his radio collection available. These radios from bygone days accompany the classic motorcycles in an appropriate manner.

Special Exhibition in the Basement:
Unterlaussa in Words, Images, and Sounds Unterlaussa belongs to the municipality of Weyer. The hamlets of Kessel, Platzl, Hausbauernhöhe, Sonndorf, Dörfl, Mooshöhe, Weißwasser, Oberlaussa, and Hengstpass are located along the Laussabach stream. A total of six hammer mills in the valley processed raw iron, which was transported on rafts from the Styrian Erzberg to the mouth of the Laussabach on the Enns, until 1872. Some hammer mills remained in operation until the 20th century. But numerous other economic sectors such as the timber industry, various craft businesses, and agriculture were also essential components of the history of the Laussatal. This everyday life and much more is showcased in the newly created exhibition in the basement of the Knappenhaus. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the prominent Unterlaussinger, OSR Director Kurt Redl. He was a significant part of community life in the village. Redl was the founder of the inter-provincial avalanche commission, the culture and sports association of Unterlaussa, he led an expedition to Spitsbergen, was the initiator of high-altitude hiking, and introduced ski courses for elementary school children in Unterlaussa. A student of Redl's, Austrian ski trainer Karl Frehsner, conquered the ski world under the motto given by Redl, "only the will counts." Numerous social highlights from three decades are accessible via video on a large TV.

Virtual Weißwasser
The branch of the Knappenhaus Unterlaussa in the Reichraminger Hintergebirge Using Augmented Reality, the historically significant mining settlement Weißwasser in the Reichraminger Hintergebirge (National Park Kalkalpen), which was settled in the 1960s, will be virtually made visible and experienceable again. This is done via Augmented Reality (AR) through an app on mobile devices/tablets. Over a length of about 800 meters, visitors wander along the Hintergebirgsradweg and experience the houses and barracks, the cable car station with the associated material cableway, as well as the infrastructural facilities of the settlement such as the blacksmith's shop, carpentry, sawmill, and fire station garage on the display of their mobile phone or tablet. Information about the respective objects can of course be accessed on the display. Please download the app before visiting Weißwasser, as there is no mobile reception on site. The link to the app can be found on the homepage of the Knappenhaus Unterlaussa (www.knappenhausunterlaussa.com) or in the app store under Weißwasser AR. An iOS version will follow.

The ground floor is barrier-free, the upper floor can be reached via stairs.

“Virtual white water - the new discovery of the mining settlement in the Reichraminger Hintergebirge”
Using augmented reality (AR), the former mining settlement Weißwasser in the Reichraminger Hintergebirge (Kalkalpen National Park) can be seen and experienced virtually again. This is made possible via an APP on your own cell phone or tablet. Over a length of around 800 meters, the visitor can see the barracks, the cable car station as well as the locksmith's shop, carpentry shop, sawmill and fire department garage and much more in a realistic form on the display of their cell phone or tablet. You can find the download link to the app on the “Knappenhaus Unterlaussa” homepage or in the app store under “WeißwasserAR”.

=> Since there is NO cell phone reception possible on site, it is absolutely necessary that the app is downloaded onto the smartphone/tablet BEFORE <=