"Is this really Denmark"? "I did not think there was such a place in Denmark at all" "Wow - completely magical, a little creepy, but wildly exciting".
Such comments are quite common to hear from the many daily guests in Mønsted Kalkgruber. People fall on their tails over the experience that awaits them as they enter through the great gate at the entrance to the lime pits. Here are large cathedral-like caves and small low dark passages. Many people are reminded of foreign stalactite caves.
A very large part of the fascination lies in the fact that the lime pits are man-made. The lime pits were once the daily workplace for many of the area's men and women. In the glow of smelly petroleum lamps, the men chopped the lime and the women's job consisted of carrying the lime through the long, winding and often low passages up to the surface of the earth. Up to a ton each woman had to carry up during the day. Later, the women's jobs were taken over by horses pulling wagons with lime up from the pits. The need for lime arose, among other things, when construction began on the many churches we see around the country today and the operation of lime quarrying in Mønsted ceased only in 1956. In total, the labyrinth-like mine tunnels extend over 60 km in six floors and are thus the largest contiguous limestone quarries in the world.
Telling the story
The story of the limestone and the history of the pits is shown in the underground cinema. Deep inside the pits by the largest of the mirror-shiny groundwater lakes, the story is shown via a multimedia show, where images and animations are thrown up on the raw limestone walls and reflected in the lake's surface. All accompanied by solemn music and narrative voice, which helps to give a very special atmosphere.
Up in the daylight again you will find the lime work, which today functions as a museum. Here you can see a film about geology and the historical development in the mining and burning of lime. Also explore the exhibition and, among other things, see miniature models of the lime pits, the open pit and the lime works.
In the old manager's residence, a museum has been set up that can help to provide an insight into the living conditions of a lime miner and the manager. In addition, the site's history is shown via photos.
Accessibility for everyone
Mønsted Kalkgruber want be a tourist attraction for everyone. Therefore, the staff behind it has had extra focus on making it easy for wheelchair users to also have the magnificent experience of visiting the limestone quarries. A concrete path makes it easy to get from the ticket house to the entrance of the lime pits. Inside the pits, wheelchairs can easily drive on the concrete paths or on the wooden pavements and bridges - and can thus get a good distance into the pits and also experience the underground cinema.
The great work of making the lime pits accessible to all has succeeded. Even to such an extent that the lime pits have received international recognition and have won a 2nd place in The European Garden Award. Here, the focus is on how the place has been made accessible to everyone, in addition to wheelchair users, prams and people with crutches are also mentioned, without interfering with the beautiful nature. In addition, in the period 15 May to 15 August, it is possible to be transported down into the pits by the mine train.
Everyone can therefore have the opportunity to feel the buzz of history beneath the earth's surface.
