Rübeland Caves (Baumann's Cave & Hermann's Cave)
Rübeländer Tropfsteinhöhlen
Germany's oldest open show caves: Baumann's Cave and Hermann's Cave, known for its blind salamanders. They are in the small Bode Valley town of Rübeland.
Baumann's Cave is said to have been discovered by a miner named Baumann in the 16th century. It has welcomed visitors since 1646 and is Germany's earliest cave open to the public. Goethe visited three times, and the cave's Goethe Hall is still used as a performance venue today. Across the valley, Hermann's Cave was discovered in 1866 and is famous for its shimmering calcite crystal halls and its captive-bred European cave salamanders. Both caves can only be visited with a guide, and each tour lasts about one hour. A single-cave ticket costs about €10, and a combined ticket is also available. The caves are about 20 km from Wernigerode and can be reached by bus or by car.
Opening hours
Daily approx. 09:00–17:00 (shorter in winter)
Nearby sights
- Titan-RT Suspension Bridge & Rappbode Dam
- Wernigerode Castle
- Wernigerode Old Town & Town Hall
- Harz Narrow Gauge Railways – Brocken Line
- Blankenburg Castle & Baroque Gardens
- Regenstein Castle Ruins
- Bode Gorge
- Rosstrappe