Silver Kingdom

A precious metal shapes a region
The importance of Schwaz is based on the extraordinary silver and copper deposits in the heyday around 1500, when 15,000 miners and smelters still pursued their sweaty work here. The economic wealth of the silver city in the 15th or 16th century also had a cultural impact as dazzling as it was positive.
Numerous buildings as well as sights from the mining era - many in the middle of the old town - still bear witness to the splendor of bygone days.

The legacy of the Silver Age can be found today in the Silver Tenner, the regional currency of the Silver Region:
www.silberzehner.com

Silberzehner

Schwaz mining

Schwaz had to succumb to severe blows of fate in its history. Mining became uncompetitive internationally due to globalization and increasingly difficult conditions. In addition, about a third of the city of Schwaz became a prey to the flames in the Tyrolean freedom struggle around 1809.

From all these terrible events Schwaz and with the city the whole silver region could recover only slowly. Until 1957, silver mining continued on a "back burner", but later only gravel was extracted. Due to a huge rockfall in 1999, mining in Schwaz was stopped altogether.

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It now seems all the more important to bring the historical silver traces back into focus and thus pay respect to the historical mining era. In addition to the famous Show Mine, where the silver age is made perceptible and tangible for about 100,000 visitors annually, the realization of a silver store or a "House of Silver" are above all on the wish list within the framework of the current tourism strategy process, in order to profess the region's ancestral theme with modern access and thus position itself even more clearly. As a self-confident region of silver!

1809

the city of Schwaz was a prey of the flames

Silver Kingdom

Silver
tenner

The Silver Tenner serves as the regional currency in the Silberregion Karwendel and unites…

Silver
mine

Walk in silver footsteps, learn all about silver, ore and white gold.

Themed
tours in Schwaz

On a voyage of discovery through the silver city of Schwaz.

Free
city tour

Local guides will accompany you through alleys and corners of the silver city.