Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes

Alum slate was mined here from the sixteenth century and the workings were abandoned in 1850. Water seeping through the rock carried dissolved iron, manganese and other minerals and deposited them on the mine walls over the following decades, building sinter formations in reds, oranges, greens and blues; when the galleries were reopened in 1913 the effect was found and the mine opened to visitors the following year. Guinness has recorded it as the most colourful show cave in the world. The formations are still growing. The largest chamber is called the Fairy Tale Cathedral. Salt therapy sessions run in a separate part of the workings.

What you actually see

• The coloured sinter - mineral drapes in red, orange, green and blue.
• The Fairy Tale Cathedral - the largest and most decorated chamber.
• The growing formations - deposits still building on the mine walls.
• The origin - a disused alum mine, not a natural cave.

When to go

Year-round; tours run at set times and it holds about ten degrees. Booking helps in summer and school holidays. The route takes about forty-five minutes.

Honest expectations

It is a mine, not a natural cave, and the formations are recent. Entry is guided only. Photography rules vary and have been restricted.

Nearby

The Leuchtenburg lies north; the Thuringian Forest rises west.