Mønsted Limestone Mines

In the scenic landscape around Mønsted, a little west of Viborg, lies Mønsted Limestone Mines, one of the Viborg region's biggest attractions. Here you can experience the world's largest limestone mine, which was been man-made by the hard work of the local men and women.

The limestone mine has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. A lot was built in medieval Viborg. Churches, monasteries and large estates appeared everywhere and building materials were needed in large quantities e.g., mortar to glue the large granite blocks together. It became the basis for Mønsted Limestone Mines, where the local farmers received royal privileges to quarry, burn limestone, and produce the mortar that the rich builders in Viborg were severely in need of. Limestone mining continued for several hundred years and many passages were dug. It is said that there are around 60 kilometres of tunnels in the area around Mønsted and Daugbjerg. In Mønsted Limestone Mines, you can walk in approximately 4 kilometres of passages with underground lakes and large caves. 2 kilometres of the corridors are illuminated. Here you can experience a multimedia show that narrates the area's history.
Until 1980, lime was burned in the limestone-processing facility (Kalkværket), which was thoroughly restored in 2003 and today stands as an important monument to the former lime production. The building is listed, but you can walk throughout and get an exciting insight into the working conditions of the time.

Mønsted Limestone Mines provides shelter and hibernation for thousands of bats. Around 12,000 little flying hunters hibernate in the darkness of the caves. The constant temperature of 8C in the corridors gives the bats the perfect conditions for hibernation, where they attach themselves to the cave ceiling or lie in the crevices and lower their heart rate. Due to the bats' hibernation period, the limestone caves are closed during the winter from 1. November to 1. April.

Address: 
Mønsted Kalkgruber
Kalkværksvej 8
7850 Stoholm
Welcome (monsted-kalkgruber.dk)