One of the richest iron ore deposits at Norberg is Mossgruvan, where the mining museum is situated today. The visitor is given an idea of how it was to work and live by a mine more than a hundred years ago. The correct name is Risbergs konstschakt and the building was raised in 1876 over a 114 metre deep mine shaft. The shaft was originally sunk in the18th century.
A very important function of the shaft was to drain the mine. From the shaft it was possible to keep several adjoining pits free from water. The pump equipment was operated using power transmitted from a water wheel by means of a ”stånggång”, a long wooden construction.
The old pumping station has been restored. Visitors are today shown how water is pumped up from the mine. They can also look down the mine shaft.
Apart from the pumping station, a cable operated lift car to carry the miners as well as a canteen, a small foreman’s office and a forge are shown in the pit head building. Visitors can see the tools used by the smith and the old machine used to plane wood, still in working order. A visit to the mining museum may be combined with a tour of Mossgruveparken, a museum park with a signposted walk leading between the old water filled mine holes.
References:Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one which he lived to see completed.
Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his building activities in 1867-1868 by redesigning his rooms in the Munich Residenz and laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle. In 1868 he was already making his first plans for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built.
Instead, the new building developed around the forester's house belonging to his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in front of the present palace and was used by the king when crown prince on hunting expeditions with his father.