Location: Saxony-Anhalt
The Rubeland Caves (Rübeländer Tropfsteinhöhlen), also known as the Rübeland Dripstone or Stalactite Caves, are two of Germany's most famous and historically significant show caves: Baumannshöhle (Baumann's Cave) and Hermannshöhle (Hermann's Cave). They lie in the small cave village of Rübeland, a district of Oberharz am Brocken in the Harz Mountains of Saxony-Anhalt, eastern Germany. The caves sit idyllically in the narrow, forested Bode Valley, about 14 km south of Wernigerode, surrounded by steep cliffs and hiking trails like the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg (Harz Witches' Trail).
Getting There
Location: Blankenburger Straße 36, 38889 Oberharz am
Brocken OT Rübeland (directly on the B27 road).
By car: Easily
accessible from Wernigerode (about 14 km), Blankenburg, or Braunlage.
Plenty of parking nearby for cars, buses, and even caravans (paid, but
sufficient time included with your ticket).
Public transport:
Possible via bus (e.g., with HarzCard or HATIX for free/discounted rides
in the region). Check schedules as it's a small village.
Best base:
Nearby towns like Wernigerode or Blankenburg for a full Harz trip.
Opening Hours and Tickets (as of recent data)
Hours vary by
season and cave. Check the official site harzer-hoehlen.de for current
details, as one cave may close for maintenance in winter.
Typical
hours (e.g., summer): Around 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM or later. Last tour
starts before closing.
Guided tours: Most visits are guided (in
German primarily; English audio guides available). Tours last ~45–60
minutes each.
Prices (guided tour, per cave):
Adults: €10.50
Children (4–14): €7.50
Under 4: Free
Family ticket (2 adults + up
to 3 children): €34 at box office
Groups (20+): Slight discount
Combi options: "Himmel & Höhle" ticket combines a cave with the
Titan suspension bridge. Online tickets recommended in peak season to
skip lines.
HarzCard: Often offers free admission + guided tour.
Tip: Arrive early to avoid crowds and get a better experience (less
rushed explanations). Book online if possible.
What to Expect on
the Visit
Two caves (a 5-minute walk apart):
Baumannshöhle: Rich
in stalactite formations, Goethe Hall (large chamber for
concerts/theater/weddings), ~300 steps. Historical significance (Goethe
visited).
Hermannshöhle: River cave with huge chambers (up to 50m
high), sparkling crystal chamber, and Olmensee lake with rare grotto
olms. Self-guided option sometimes available, guided otherwise.
Tours involve walking paths with many stairs (up and down, around 300
per cave). Paths are developed but natural/uneven in places.
Constant
temperature 8–9°C (46–48°F) year-round with high humidity — feels chilly
and damp.
Essential Visiting Tips
Clothing and Footwear:
Wear warm layers (jacket/sweater) and comfortable, solid closed-toe
shoes with good grip (no sandals or flip-flops). The cold and damp can
make surfaces slippery.
Dress in layers — it warms up a bit when
walking but starts cold.
Physical Preparation:
Not suitable
for wheelchairs, strollers, or those with severe mobility issues due to
numerous steps and narrow sections.
Moderate fitness needed; the walk
is manageable for most (including kids), but take it slow on stairs.
No photos with flash (to protect formations); respect "do not touch"
rules.
Timing and Crowds:
Visit early morning for fewer people
and better chances to spot olms (they're shy).
Allow 1–1.5 hours per
cave + time between them. You can visit both in one day.
Peak season
(summer) can be busier; shoulder seasons (spring/fall) are ideal for
milder crowds and pleasant Harz weather.
Practicalities:
Toilets and a small visitor area available.
Audio guides
(German/English) on your smartphone for extra info (~€1–2.50 with
headphones).
Combine with other Harz attractions: Harzer Hexen-Stieg
trail, Titan bridge, Brocken mountain, or Wernigerode castle.
For
Families/Kids:
Very kid-friendly with magical formations that spark
imagination. Special tours sometimes available.
Young children may
need carrying help on stairs.
Weather and Season:
Great
rainy-day activity. Harz weather can be unpredictable — check forecasts.
Winter visits possible but confirm openings (one cave may close).
Other Advice:
Stay on paths and follow guides — caves are
protected geological monuments.
No food/drink inside.
Photography
allowed (no flash/tripods usually).
Dogs not permitted inside.
Geological Setting: The Elbingerode Reef Complex
The caves formed
within Devonian limestone of the Elbingerode Reef Complex (also called
Elbingerode Complex), a significant Paleozoic carbonate buildup in the
Harz region.
Age and Origin: The limestone dates to the Middle to
Upper Devonian (roughly 393–359 million years ago). It represents a
former oceanic barrier reef system (sometimes described as a Darwinian
or atoll-like structure) in the Rhenohercynian Basin of the Paleotethys
Ocean. This was a tropical marine environment south of the equator.
Reef Characteristics: The complex includes massive, thick (up to ~400
m), fossil-rich limestones from reef-building organisms like
stromatoporoids, corals, and microbial communities. It features marginal
reef limestones and lagoonal deposits. Cryptic (hidden) habitats within
the fore-reef slope hosted massive microbe-sponge deposits, including
hexactinellid glass sponges, calcimicrobes (e.g., Angusticellularia,
Frutexites), and textures like stromatactis, peloidal fabrics, and zebra
limestone.
Regional Context: The Harz Mountains have varied geology,
with soluble Devonian limestones forming karst features around Rübeland
(used locally for cement). Surrounding rocks include slates, greywackes,
and igneous intrusions. The area experienced Variscan (Hercynian)
orogeny (mountain-building) in the Carboniferous, involving folding,
faulting, and uplift.
The limestone's purity and fracturing made it
ideal for later karst dissolution.
Speleogenesis (Cave Formation)
The caves are classic karst features formed primarily by the dissolution
of limestone by carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) in percolating meteoric
(rain/surface) water, enhanced by fractures and faults.
Key
processes:
Tectonic Influence: Formation linked to the incision
of the Bode Valley along old faults in the earth strata. Uplift and
erosion exposed the limestone, allowing aggressive groundwater to
exploit joints and bedding planes.
Phases: Likely involved both
epigene (surface-derived) and possibly some hypogene (deeper,
mineral-rich fluids) influences, though primarily epigene karst. Water
flow created interconnected cavities, passages, and larger halls.
Hermann's Cave has characteristics of a river cave (with underground
water features).
Timing: Major development occurred over millions of
years post-Devonian, accelerating with Harz uplift and valley formation
(likely Tertiary to Quaternary periods). Ongoing karst processes
continue today.
Cave Morphology:
Baumann's Cave: ~1.95–2 km of
passages (show section shorter). Features large halls (e.g., Goethe Hall
~2,500 m²), gorges, and breakdown blocks. Depths range from ~61 m below
to higher points. Includes artificial lake (Wolfgangsee).
Hermann's
Cave: Discovered in 1866 during road work. Features a notable
underground lake (Olmensee) and a sparkling Crystal Chamber with unique
formations. It combines river-cave traits with extensive dripstone
decoration.
Both caves are decorated with abundant speleothems
(stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstones, sinter flags, macaroni
formations, etc.), formed by the re-precipitation of calcium carbonate
from dripping, CO₂-degassing water. Colors vary due to impurities (e.g.,
iron oxides).
Paleontology and Sediments
The caves are notable
for Pleistocene bone deposits, including cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) and
cave hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea) remains. These were historically
significant in early paleontology (e.g., "unicornu fossile" mined for
medicine). Excavations revealed New Stone Age (Neolithic) finds as well.
Hermann's Cave hosts olms (proteus, Proteus anguinus), rare cave
salamanders (introduced from Istria in 1932), in its underground lake —
the only site for them in Germany.
Human and Scientific
Significance
Discovery and Tourism: Baumann's Cave legendarily
discovered ~1536 by miner Friedrich Baumann (likely apocryphal details).
Open to visitors since the 1640s, making it Germany's oldest show cave.
Goethe visited multiple times; the Goethe Hall is named after him.
Protected as a natural monument early on.
Scientific History:
Featured in early literature (16th–18th centuries) by figures like
Leibniz, contributing to speleology, paleontology, and geology
understanding.
Modern Context
The caves are managed as tourist
sites with guided tours, lighting, and events. They sit within the Harz
Geopark, highlighting the region's Paleozoic heritage. The surrounding
landscape features dense forests, the Bode River, and other karst/mining
history.
The caves formed through karst processes—dissolution of limestone by
water along faults and fractures connected to the development of the
Bode Valley. They feature rich speleothems (stalactites, stalagmites,
flowstones), large chambers, and underground lakes. Both are geological
natural monuments and popular tourist sites, with Baumannshöhle known
for its grand formations and Hermannshöhle for its crystal chamber and
unique biology.
Prehistoric and Paleontological Significance
During the Pleistocene (Ice Age), the caves served as dens for cave
bears (Ursus spelaeus), cave hyenas, and other animals. Extensive bone
deposits accumulated, especially in higher levels. These "unicorn bones"
(unicornu fossile) were later mined and used in folk medicine, as people
once believed they came from mythical unicorns.
Baumannshöhle was
noted in early scientific literature for these deposits. Hermannshöhle
also yielded many cave bear bones (including skulls visible on tours),
along with remains of cave lions, hyenas, hares, and birds. A replica of
a standing cave bear (nearly 3.5m tall) is displayed in Hermannshöhle.
No major evidence of prehistoric human occupation (like tools or art) is
prominently associated with these specific caves, unlike some other Harz
or European sites, though the region has broader Paleolithic context.
Discovery and Early History of Baumannshöhle
Legendary Discovery:
According to tradition, a miner named Friedrich Baumann discovered the
cave in the mid-to-late 15th century while searching for iron ore. He
reportedly got lost inside, emerged exhausted, described it, and died.
This romantic tale, popularized later (including in the Nazi era), is
likely apocryphal, but the cave bears his name.
First Mentions:
Documented references appear in the mid-16th century (e.g., possibly by
Georg Agricola or others). Heinrich Eckstorm provided an early Latin
account in 1589 (published 1620), and Johannes Letzner visited around
1599.
Show Cave Development: Organized guided tours began around
1646. In 1658, the first known cave maps (some of the earliest preserved
worldwide) were created. In April 1668, Hans Jürgen Becker became the
world's first officially authorized cave guide. It attracted early
tourism in the Baroque period.
17th–18th Centuries: Visited and
described by scholars like Athanasius Kircher and Gottfried Wilhelm
Leibniz. It gained fame across Europe for its speleothems and bone
deposits. Protection orders were issued against vandalism and stalactite
theft (e.g., 1688 by the Duke of Brunswick).
Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe visited multiple times (1777, 1783, 1784), deeply impressed by
the formations. The largest chamber, Goethesaal (Goethe Hall), is named
after him. It features an artificial lake ("Wolfgangsee") and serves as
an underground stage for concerts and plays (seating over 1,000).
Discovery and History of Hermannshöhle
Discovery: Found on June
28, 1866, during roadworks on the Hasselfelder Road by road inspector
Wilhelm Angerstein ("Sechserding"). Initially called Sechserdinghöhle.
It was quickly explored.
Exploration: Intensive work in the 1870s by
Hermann Grotrian (after whom it is named), followed by Johan Herman
Kloos, forester Tiemann, and Robert Nehring in the 1880s. Breakthroughs
connected upper levels (Bärenhöhle, rich in bear bones). An access
tunnel was built.
Opening: Opened as a show cave on May 1, 1890, with
electric lighting (one of the early ones in Germany).
Modern Era
and Tourism
Both caves are managed together and attract tens of
thousands of visitors annually. They feature guided tours, special
events (e.g., flashlight tours for children), and theatrical
performances in Baumannshöhle.
Unique Features: Hermannshöhle has
Germany's only population of olms (Proteus anguinus), blind aquatic
salamanders introduced from Slovenia's Postojna Cave in 1932 and
1956–57. They live in an artificial lake (Olmensee) and have
occasionally reproduced.
Rübeland has been called "Höhlenort" (cave
village) since 2004. The caves remain active tourist sites within the
Harz region, blending natural wonder, history, and science.
Summary of Key Timeline
Pleistocene: Cave bear/hyena use and bone
accumulation.
Late 15th/16th c.: Baumannshöhle known and mentioned.
1646: Organized tours in Baumannshöhle.
1668: First official cave
guide.
1777–84: Goethe visits.
1866: Hermannshöhle discovered.
1890: Hermannshöhle opens as show cave.
20th–21st c.: Electric
lights, olm introduction, ongoing tourism and research.