500 years of active salt mining

The Berchtesgaden Salt Mine, one of Germany's most important tourist attractions, is celebrating a milestone birthday in 2017.In 1517, the unique chronicle of 500 years of uninterrupted salt mining in the depths of the Bavarian Alps began.360,000 guests from home and abroad visit the attractions of the visitor mine every year.Many a guest fails to notice that hard work has been going on for 500 years next to the visitor mine, which is open to the public.The anniversary was a welcome occasion "to give visitors exciting insights into the miners' persistent work as well as the innovative technical developments", says Peter Botzleiner-Reber, Head of Tourism.A comprehensive overall concept with an image, campaigns, events and various advertising measures was then developed together with the Munich advertising agency marcon.For the first time, a large-scale photo shoot was done in the area of active salt mining, documenting the miners' work in high-quality images, which thus also provide impressive insights into salt mining on the huge and 50-metre-long wallpaper in the waiting area of the show mine.A creative hand was also applied in the redesign of the exterior façade of the visitor area.Activities, events and a new spectacular laser show round off the birthday concept.The highlight of the series of events is the traditional all-day mountain festival on Whit Monday, 5 June 2017.The church and procession of the miners with many bands from the region, the church service in the Berchtesgaden Collegiate Church with Cardinal Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, together with Pastor Msgr.Dr. Thomas Frauenlob and the ceremony with a stage programme moderated by Markus Othmer as well as many celebrities in the Berchtesgaden Congress House create the appropriate setting for a great birthday celebration.