Baumann’s Cave

Baumann's Cave, located near Hermann's Cave, is Germany's oldest show cave and is located in Rübeland in the district of Harz. The grotto has existed in the Devonian limestone of the Elbingerode Complex since the formation of the Bode Valley. Man has been visiting the cave since the Stone Age, and it was not discovered in 1536, as many written accounts claim. The year of discovery, 1536, as well as the story of the miner, Baumann, who is said to have discovered the cave, are all part of a hoax dating back to Nazi times when a politically acceptable jubilee date was sought.

The cave appears frequently in early scientific and travel literature because it has been open to the public for guided tours since 1649 when Valentin Wagner was appointed as the first cave guide. Baumann's Cave is most likely Germany's oldest regularly visited and guided show cave. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was one of its most famous visitors. The Goethesaal, the cave's largest chamber, is named after him and is equipped with seats and a stage for concerts and plays. The cave was sealed off from an early date, preserving its rich display of stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is particularly well-known for the numerous cave bear bones discovered there, among other things.

Location: Blankenburger Straße 36, Oberharz am Brocken / Rübeland, Germany