Layer tower

Visible from afar, the shaft tower defines the image of the mining town and is one of the most famous landmarks of Eisenerz.

Originally planned in 1581 by the Eisenerz masters of the trade as a simple watch house, the tower was meant to call the miners to work – that is, to the shift – with its bell. In fact, a stately building in Renaissance style was created. From 1585 onwards, tower guards kept watch day and night in the tower room to warn the population of fires and flood dangers in the valley.

The exhibition vividly conveys the tasks that the shaft tower once fulfilled. Cannon shots, flags during the day, lanterns at night, and different bell signals played an important role. The current tower guard, Hermann Buder, also shares interesting information about the earlier underground mining and the current open-pit mining. He also explains how a water-driven mill worked using a model.

Visitors can reach the shaft tower from the Eisenerz old town via short serpentine paths or along a Stations of the Cross.