A Bergmagazin is a building that served as a granary for miners and the population of mining towns in German-speaking Europe.

Marienberg's Bergmagazin

History (Saxony)

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The construction of Bergmagazins in the Electorate and Kingdom of Saxony grew rapidly from 1806 at the suggestion of senior mining official (Oberberghauptmann), Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich von Trebra. As a result of the great famines in the upper Ore Mountains at the end of the 18th century caused by several poor harvests, Trebra recommended the construction of multi-storey, stone Bermagazin buildings where grain could be deposited after harvesting and stored for several months or even years.

Locations (a selection)

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  • Marienberg: built 1806-1809, from 1858 it had many other uses e.g. as a military storage facility, chocolate factory, glider school, war refugee accommodation and fruit store. Following its conversion and redesign it has been used as a museum since 2006.[1]
  • Annaberg
  • Schneeberg
  • Freiberg: 1784-1805 converted from Freudenstein Castle into the Bergmagazin. Used as a granary until 1979
  • Johanngeorgenstadt: built 1806-1812, used as a grain store until 1847. After a fire in 1899 it was converted into a residence. Demolished in 2005
  • Osterode am Harz: 1719-1722 built as a corn store. Used as the town council building since 1989
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References

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  1. ^ Marienberg Magazin at marienberg.de. Retrieved 12 June 2022
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