Deeper Underground
On a hot summer day the Mining Museum in Rumelange is the right place to cool off. A constant temperature of 11 degrees Celsius was the daily companion of the miners who extracted iron ore from the ‘Walert’ mine. This is exactly the place we chose for the July episode of our Minett Mash-Up.
We met this month’s interviewee 70 metres underground.
Our Minett-location of the month: Musée National des Mines de Fer
The former “Walert” mine in Rumelange is now home to the Mining Museum. After the colliery closed in 1963, the museum was opened in 1973.
The museum shows the development of mining in Luxembourg from the middle of the 19th century to the second half of the 20th century. Artefacts, machines and archival documents give visitors an insight into the work of the miners.
Visitors are taken to the mine by train, where the two-hour tour begins. A warm jacket is recommended for a visit to the Mining Museum.
Our guest: Raffaella Campobasso
Raffaella Campobasso, director of the Musée des Mines, is our guest this month. After studying art history, she came to Luxembourg from Italy and found her vocation in the field of industrial culture and history.
We talk to Raffaella Campobasso about the Mining Museum, the management of this cultural institution, the challenges of digitalisation and the everyday life of the miners who worked in Luxembourg’s mines. We also discuss the importance of the museum for tourism, as it is one of the main tourist attractions in the south of Luxembourg.
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© CNCI
Our quiz:
What does the word “Minett” stand for?
- Iron mine
- Small iron ore
- Miner’s wife
- Little pebbles
What are the main layers of iron ore in Luxembourg and how many are there?
- 5 layers (red, yellow, grey, black, green)
- 4 layers (yellow, grey, red, green)
- 6 layers (violet, yellow, grey, black, red, green)
- 3 layers (grey, black, green)
Links to the topic of this episode:
- Musée National des Mines de Fer: the only museum dedicated to the history of mining in Luxembourg.
- Carbide lamp: light used by miners to see underground.
- Ville de Rumelange : the town where the museum is located.
- Minière Walert: history of the mine which later became the Musée des Mines.
- Jean-Pierre Bausch: deputy mayor of Rumelange, who defended the rights of the miners and died in a landslide at the Walert mine.
- Musée Ferrum: a museum in Tétange dedicated to the small industries that developed around the mines.
- Mine Cockerill: a small museum in Ellergronn which houses the last fully preserved mining site in the region.
- Saint Barbara’s Dy: every year on 4 December, a mass is held in honour of the patron saint of the miners.
- Léiffrächen: core zone of the Minett Biosphere, once one of the largest open-cast mines in the country.
Contact us:
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