This almond-shaped agate rock has brightly colored striped deposits. The formation was discovered in the abandoned village of Mannbacher, north of Baumholder, Germany, and is one of many local gemstones and rock formations on display at the German Mineral Museum in Idar-Oberstein. (Jennifer H. Svan/The Star-Spangled Banner)
Idar-Oberstein shines even on Germany’s gloomiest days, and its jewels date back to the discovery of the first mineral deposits more than 400 years ago, giving the region its reputation.
Part of its history is on display at the German Mineral Museum, with colorful rocks and gemstones from the region and around the world.
With four floors to explore in a cozy old building, this museum was the perfect place to spend a few hours on a gray autumn day. Just 15 minutes from Baumholder and 45 minutes by car from Kaiserslautern.
The German Mineral Museum in Idar-Oberstein has 24 rooms spread over four floors, displaying hundreds of colorful gemstones and rocks from the region and around the world. (Jennifer H. Svan/The Star-Spangled Banner)
The museum is located below Felsenkirche, a church built into a cliff ledge in the Oberstein district of town. The Nahe River historically divided the villages of Idal and Oberstein, but these villages were first administratively unified in the 1930s.
According to a famous jeweler, the region’s first deposits of amethyst, agate and jasper were discovered during church excavations in the 14th century, sparking the rise of the jewelry industry. Cutting machines and polishing machines were in operation at factories along the river.
As the hills began to dry out in the 1800s, miners and artisans migrated to South America in search of wealth elsewhere. They found similar materials in Brazil and began transporting them to Idar-Oberstein, where gem cutting and jewelry production continued to flourish.
This replica of the crown of the late British Queen Elizabeth II is one of several replicas of diamond jewelry worn by famous people on display at the German Mineral Museum in Idar-Oberstein. (Jennifer H. Svan/The Star-Spangled Banner)
The museum’s jewelry collection includes dazzling necklaces, delicate hairpins and brooches, and one of the world’s smallest cameos. One room houses some of the largest crystals ever imported from Brazil to Europe.
Another highlight was the dark room with luminescent gems. A few seconds after entering, the lights went out, and when exposed to ultraviolet light, the stones glowed like radioactive material.
Most of the signs in the museum are in German, but it was easy to figure out the country of origin and mineral type of the samples, sometimes with the help of online translation tools.
The museum’s exhibits include giant pyrite crystals from Peru, coral from Florida, copper plates from Michigan, shiny black Indochinese stone from Thailand, and natural glass shards formed by meteorite impacts. It houses specimens collected from all over the world.
One of the exhibits focused on Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th-century German Benedictine nun who believed that gemstones had healing powers. The laminated chart, which sells for 2 euros, lists 34 stones and their properties.
Parts of rhodochrosite, a pale pink to bright red manganese carbonate mineral, have been found exposed in rock formations from Argentina and are on display at the German Mineral Museum in Idar-Oberstein. Rhodochrosite is Argentina’s national gemstone and is often used in jewelry. (Jennifer H. Svan/The Star-Spangled Banner)
For example, green jade is said to be good for digestion, and amber is said to be effective against allergies. Hildegard said each stone had healing powers in different ways.
She believed that people with eye problems should moisten a hyacinth with saliva and place it on the eyes and repeat it often. As a side benefit, Hildegard also recommended hyacinths for demonic possession.
Another Gem Museum on the Idar side of town has more than 10,000 exhibits, including stones, diamonds, carvings and engravings made over 6,000 years of cutting and carving.
For visitors who want to get up close and personal with Idal-Oberstein’s mineral riches, the Steinkaulenberg mine offers guided tours as well as the chance to dig for treasures on your own. Headsets with English translation are also available.
The German Mineralogical Museum in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, features colorful rocks and gemstones from around the region and around the world. The town is located on Germany’s 30-mile jewelry route and is home to a variety of jewelry and jewelry shops, as well as several museums. (Jennifer H. Svan/The Star-Spangled Banner)
About QT
Address: German Mineral Museum, Hauptstrasse 436, Idar-Oberstein, Germany; Steinkaulenberg Mine, Im Stebel, Idar-Oberstein, Germany
Hours of Operation: The museum and mine are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours of the mine will be available until Nov. 15, with the last tour of the day starting at 4 p.m. Gem mining sessions take place daily at 10am, 12:30pm and 3pm.
Food: Idar Oberstein is known for its Spiessbraten, pork skewers roasted on a swinging grill. Das Spiessbratenhaus is located in a half-timbered building just a short walk from the Mineral Museum.
Prices: Admission to the museum is 8 euros for adults, 5 euros for senior citizens, 4.50 euros for students over 15 and disabled people, and 3 euros for students aged 6-14. Entrance tickets to the mine cost 8 euros per adult. Several categories of visitors, including military personnel, are entitled to a reduced rate of 6.50 euros. Children under 6 years old are free when visiting as part of their household.
Information: https://deutsches-mineralienmuseum.de/, https://weiherschleife-steinkaulenbergwerk.de/home/the-steinkaulenberg-mine.html
