Probably the most of you have not heard of Seegrotte. Even I myself had not heard of it until the moment I started planning my stay in Vienna. It is located 20 km from the center of the Austrian capital and actually only appears 100 years ago. In the 19th century it was a gypsum mine, but after a powerful explosion in 1912 millions of liters of water were poured into mine galleries. So creates the largest underground lake in Europe!
His story…
In 1930 it was discovered by explorers and was adapted for a tourist attraction. During the Second World War, the lake was inaccessible for tourists. It was used by German armies, where about 2 000 people are working in the mine daily and producing parts for the first in the world jet-fighters – Heinkel HE 162 Salamander. After the end of the war, it open its door for visitors and hasn’t closed it to this day!
Where is located Seegrotte ?
Reaching the lake is easiest and fastest with a car. You can stop in the street in front of the entrance. It works every day, without rest. Working hours during the summer period (April 1st– October 31st) are from 09:00 to 17:00 (last group enters at 16:15) and during the winter (1st November-31st March) from 09:00 to 15:00 ( last group enters at 14:15). The fee is 11 euro there is a reduction for groups and children up to 14 years. You will see at the entrance several posters from the movie “The Three Musketeers”, because there are shot scenes from the movie in Seegrotte. The constant annual temperature in the lake is 9 degrees. At the entrance you have the possibility to take a blanket for 0,50 euro, and I advise you to use it… inside is coolly.
Let’s peek inside…
Each group starts with a tour guide and the tour takes a little more than 40 minutes. It is 60 m underground and cover an area of about 6 200 sq m. It has upper and lower floors. On the upper floor, you can see various exhibits of the miners working in the mine: parts of German airplanes, models of miners and horses, pulling wheelbarrows, and a chapel in honour of St Varvara. The initials “G” and “A” above the chapel symbolize the traditional greeting of German miners for successful and safe work – Glück Auf. Going downstairs, we fall into endless water galleries! Crystal clear water and the reflective silhouette on the stone walls create something really impressive! Going boating in the lake, you can see only a small part from of its beauty, but it is really worth it…
