Themed tours and activities Vianden

In 1925, the first studies for the hydroelectric use of the Our were undertaken. The work began in 1959 and the hydroelectric development was inaugurated in 1964. The hydroelectric facility in Vianden is, to date, the largest of this kind in Europe.

The facility includes an artificial lake connected to two upper basins by a well system that leads water to the underground central, located in the heart of Mount Saint-Nicolas.

Principle of operation. The artificial lake of 8 km and a capacity of over 6 million m ³ of water extends from the Vianden dam to Stolzembourg. The waters of the lower lake are pumped over the night (lower energy cost) towards the two upper basins of 6 million m ³, located at the top of Mount Saint-Nicolas. During peak hours, water accumulated in the top basins falls on nine groups of machines, each comprising a turbine, an engine alternator and a pump, producing high-value energy.

The remains of this former copper mine are located 1.5 km from Stolzembourg. More than 500 years old, it has attracted many prospectors in the past. The visit, with a guide, follows three stages:the museum, which presents among other things the history of the mine and the extraction techniques. The geological trail, which places the site in its history and its environment (2.5 km), and finally, the discovery of part of the underground galleries, 50 m underground.