Initial situation

In the almost 150 years since its first official discovery in 1875, the Hölloch has experienced an eventful history of research and tourism. Thousands of archive images and countless research reports bear witness to this exciting development. This knowledge, packed in many boxes and cartons, is waiting to be processed and presented to the general public in an appealing form.

Hölloch_Besucherzentrum_Fassade

Project

The Hölloch is one of the largest cave systems in the world with over 210 km of surveyed passages. With the new visitor center, on the site of the now dilapidated keeper’s house, we want to present knowledge about the unique natural geological wonder of Hölloch in a central location. 
 
In the new visitor center, many topics such as man and cave, climate and vegetation before the ice ages, karst landscape with the largest virgin spruce forest in the Alps, geological contexts and processes or weather development as well as the history of tourism are presented in an exciting and inspiring way.

At the same time, we want to create a modern infrastructure for the office, reception, storage and checkrooms so that all Hölloch activities, from reservations to farewells, can be carried out optimally.

Gallery

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Exhibition

The new visitor center is the entrance portal to the Hölloch. It offers visitors the perfect setting to understand the uniqueness of this natural wonder. The guided explorations in the unique cave together with an interactive exhibition make the visit an impressive experience.

Meeting place

The first floor is the meeting point and meeting place. Visitors are greeted at the welcome desk and informed about the upcoming cave experience. A three-dimensional cross-section model depicting the front part of the cave shows the bookable tours in an easily understandable way. Pictures, short texts and audio stations convey the rich pioneering history in an exciting way. In the cozy lounge, where there is also a library with further literature, you can meet before or after a tour to exchange experiences over a coffee.

Place of learning

The upper floor is divided into the forum and the activity area. This is where the communication and scientific analysis of the Hölloch with all its different aspects is located. This area is being created in close cooperation with the Höllochforschung AGH working group. Visitors can virtually explore the vastness of the Hölloch using an interactive 3D model. A short film about the history of the formation of the Hölloch is shown in the forum at the beginning of the guided tours.

In the activity area, there are various elements on the topics of hydrology, speleology, cave history and the surveying course, which can be worked on independently or in a group. On the crawl course you can test where you can still fit through.

The forum also serves as a learning area for the Hölloch Academy, where various workshops are offered for groups, school classes and companies.

Place of work

Careful preparation is required for a successful visit to the Hölloch. This takes place in the basement, where the equipment room with helmets, LED lamps, overalls, rubber boots and climbing harnesses is located. The checkroom, toilets and washing facilities are available to guests there. Working through a checklist and information on safety and cave rescue round off the instructions and are also the starting signal for the upcoming adventure.

Project team/sponsorship

  • Trekking Team AG, Project management: Peter Draganits, Marcel Murri
  • Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höllochforschung AGH, Working group History, Speleologie, Activity: Gregor Bättig, Jürg Pulver, Regula Höhn, Sabrina Honegger, Roman Schelbert, Aline Wildberger, Jean Godat u.a.
  • Felix Ziegler (Hydrologie, Wetterstationen): Felix Ziegler
  • Didactics: Thomas Arbenz, Sonja Ulber
  • Speleologist: Gerhard Amacher, Hans Moor, Marcel Rota, Kay Braun u.a.m.

Operating company/ownership:

Trekking Team AG / Peter Draganits, Weggis

Our partners & sponsors