Altenstein Cave
During road construction work in 1799, workers discovered a cave beneath the Altenstein park. The naturally formed karst cave is therefore the oldest show cave in Thuringia. With its musical gallery, cave dome, cave lake and stream, it is considered an underground landscape garden. The Altenstein Cave is also a habitat for several species of bat. Duke Georg I of Saxe-Meiningen had the cave designed for visitors - as a kind of underground park, modelled on the Altenstein Landscape Park. This includes illuminated paths, underground squares, a music gallery and the cave dome. A cave stream runs underground through the entire cave and provides fascinating impressions. The Duke is said to have travelled by boat on the underground lake. Following extensive renovation of the cave, including the outdoor facilities, it is now open the whole year to visitors again. You can experience this fascinating underground scenery as part of guided tours and cultural events.
Tickets for the public tours are only available online or at the Bad Liebenstein Tourist Information Centre and in the Altenstein Visitor Centre. Holders of the Thuringian Forest purchase card or guest card receive a 20% discount on the ticket price. This can be redeemed when purchasing tickets at the Bad Liebenstein Tourist Information Office and at the Altenstein Visitor Centre on presentation of the card. People with a severely disabled person's pass and companion can also obtain their tickets for free entry with a companion at the Tourist Information Office or the Visitor Centre.
Barrier-free information
All areas relevant for testing meet the quality criteria of the label "Accessibility certified - partially accessible for people with walking disabilities".
Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.
- There is a parking lot for people with disabilities.
- The Schweina “Altensteiner Höhle” bus stop is 50 m away.
- All rooms and facilities that can be used by guests are accessible without steps/at ground level or via a ramp. The rear area of the cave is an exception. This is only accessible via a staircase. In winter, this area is generally not visited due to the bats hibernating there.
- All doors/passages and paths that can be used by guests are at least 90 cm wide.
- The cash desk is 145 cm high at its lowest point.
- Exhibits and information are mainly visible from a seated position.
- Seating is available.
- There is a public toilet for people with disabilities, which can be accessed from both sides (at least 80 cm). There are folding grab rails to the left and right of the toilet.
- Guided tours are offered for people with walking disabilities and wheelchair users. Advance booking is necessary.
- Mobile or fixed seating is available for people with walking disabilities, which can be used during the tour.
- The guided tours are adapted to the possibilities of the guests. If there is a guest with limited mobility in the group, the rear area of the cave will not be visited and more time will be spent elsewhere. In winter, this via staircase accessible area is generally not visited due to the bats hibernating there.
Evaluation report: Download as PDF
Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.
- There is no audio induction system available.
- Information about the exhibits is provided in writing or in photorealistic form.
- There are no guided tours for people with hearing impairments or deaf people.
Evaluation report: Download as PDF
Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.
- Assistance dogs are permitted.
- The signage (for orientation) is designed in clearly legible and high-contrast lettering.
- The elevated areas that can be used by guests are brightly lit and glare-free in some places.
- Stairs have handrails on both sides.
- Information about the exhibits is visually rich in contrast.
- Information about the exhibits is conveyed acoustically. The virtual representations on the walls are explained in more detail by the guide for people with visual impairments and blind people.
- Information is not available in Braille or prismatic writing.
- Guided tours are offered for people with visual impairments and blind people. Advance booking is necessary.
Evaluation report: Download as PDF
Some information on accessibility are listed below. For detailed information please see the evaluation report.
- The Schweina “Altensteiner Höhle” bus stop is 50 m away.
- The name of the cave is clearly recognizable from the outside.
- The destinations of the paths are within sight.
- There is no information in easy language.
- Information about the exhibits is conveyed using photorealistic illustrations.
- The information on the exhibits is mainly/exclusively provided in writing, but not in plain language.
- Guided tours are offered for people with cognitive impairments. Pre-registration is required.
- The contents (e.g. exhibits) of the guided tour for people with cognitive impairments are easy to understand or are explained in an easy-to-understand way (e.g. pictorially).
Evaluation report: Download as PDF