Что делает немецкий Идар-Оберштайн таким особенным: история, редчайшие кристаллы, специалитеты!

Что делает немецкий Идар-Оберштайн таким особенным: история, редчайшие кристаллы, специалитеты!

Precious stones are what attract tourists and collectors from all over the world to this town. We are Idar Oberstein. We spent two days in this beautiful town and with our friends explored it thoroughly . We visited, I think, all the main sights, exploring deep caves, in the depths of which, millions of years ago, something was born that now makes so many tremble. These are precious stones. We climbed high hills, admiring the town from a bird’s eye view, savored local specialties, and learned the art of gem cutting. And the church, cut into the rock, attracts the eye like a magnet. This is not only about precious stones. The town itself resembles a great jewel, shimmering in the rays of light, revealing its multifaceted nature. This is Idar Oberstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. Let’s begin. Idar Oberstein is a small town with a population of almost 30,000. The heart of the Rhineland-Palatinate. Situated on the Idar and Nahe rivers. The city has many districts that have developed independently and individually throughout history. The city is known above all for the precious stones that are mined and processed here. This is one of the reasons why so many tourists from all over the world come here. Hello, sir. How are you? Thank you. Good. And you? Excellent. There are only 150 steps here, but since there are four of you, there will be 600. Then there is the option of climbing another 200 steps higher to the fortress. We went there together, so in the end we climbed not 600, but 300 steps. A kind of German humor. In the 11th century, Idar Oberstein was a very small settlement. It was surrounded by a fortress wall, as was always done for protection. And this tower is the only tower in the city that has survived to this day, from this fortress wall. This tower also served as a prison. Thieves and bandits were locked up and held here. The oldest surviving house in town is this half-timbered house next to the observation tower. Now it’s a guesthouse and a restaurant, which we’ll visit later. The house has a mysterious name from an old Goth. I wouldn’t want to meet that Goth. The first mention of this house was in 1392. We see a different date on the façade, 28 years later. This year of construction was initially determined, but dendrochronological research has established the year of construction as 1392. This house is even older than the bridge houses in Bad Kreuznach. Watch the film at the link. According to legend, the first ruler of Oberstein lived in the castle over there on the hill. Back then, it was a large castle complex. It existed until the 15th century. The rulers of Oberstein lived there, and down here, they founded another city district. Initially, the town lived off agriculture. And so it was until the 15th century, when precious stones were discovered in the region and they began to be mined and processed. They used water power for processing, using watermills like these, which moved sandstone stones weighing up to 3 tons. Wow. The Mineral Museum is one of the city’s iconic museums, but we think there’s an even more interesting place there. The National Gem Museum houses a 530-carat diamond (that’s 106 grams), rare Russian alexandrites, and many other stones. But more on that later. For now, let’s find out what migrants do in Germany. And next to the market square stands this ice cream vendor. What nationality do you think he was? Mongol or Uzbek, perhaps? No, of course not. He was Italian, Betto Lorenzo, and he was the first ice cream maker here in the city. And that’s why he was immortalized here in the square. Well, he certainly had a selection of ice cream, but certainly not the kind we have today. In the very center of the market square, there’s a fountain with bas-reliefs depicting the process of processing stones, from sorting and cutting them to turning them into jewelry. And here we see a girl trying on a finished necklace made of precious stones. There’s even a real gemstone. It’s a rock crystal, which this boy is holding in his hand. No one has claimed it yet. It’s hard to believe, looking at this four-lane road, that it’s a riverbed, because a tunnel has been built underneath the road, carrying the River Nahe. In Valencia, the riverbed was actually moved outside the city limits, but here it’s encased in concrete. This project was designed in the sixties. But in 1986, they were able to implement it, and since then it’s been the city’s main thoroughfare, connecting Rhineland-Palatinate with the Rhineland, where I studied. This map shows how the river flows. That is, how it enters here and exits there, and here everything is covered. That is, there was a major reconstruction project, and the river was simply covered with a concrete surface. And here, a road runs along the river. You learn more and more about German engineering. Sometimes they build a water bridge for ships to navigate, sometimes they build house-bridges, and then they simply enclose the river in a concrete tunnel. This square is called the Idar Square. And this should be taken literally, yes, because the river actually flows underneath this square. As part of a major reconstruction project in the city in the 1970s, the river was diverted into tunnels under the river, and a road was built over the river. There used to be a large parking lot here, and it was much lower. And now it’s simply been raised about five meters. As you can see, there’s no parking here now, just shops, but during the reconstruction, it was simply raised. On this display, we can see what the city looked like then. And here’s what it looks like now. Here we see the parking lot, which was on a lower level and was raised 5-6 meters. Be sure to climb one of the hills to admire the city from above and appreciate the unique landscapes surrounding this place, and perhaps choose a destination for your next visit. Our next stop was the church, carved directly into the rock. Here we are standing next to this treasure, the church in the rock. This tunnel was built specifically for safety at the main and only entrance. Because rocks fell from above, and probably hit someone, this is now the only entrance to this church. According to legend, it was built as atonement for a murder. Two brothers fell in love with a lady from the castle, and one of them became engaged to her. When the other brother learned of this, in a fit of jealousy, he pushed his brother out of the castle window on the hill. And on the spot where one of the brothers died, out of guilt, the remaining brother built this church with his own hands. So goes the legend. But in fact, it’s more likely that this church was the first building here in Oberstein, as the church’s foundation wall is 1.5 meters wide, indicating that this site was once part of a castle complex. And from the church balcony, you’ll see a new, admirable perspective of the city. This place is a must-see if you’re here. It’s like coming to Paris and not strolling down the Champs-Élysées or trying foie gras. The Oberstein neighborhood has very narrow buildings, meaning the houses are very close together. This is because there’s one rock here, then another, with only a small space between them, leaving very little room for construction. All these little houses are connected by numerous staircases, used by people to carry everything they need for their homes. Just imagine if someone were moving, or just buying a new sofa. Luckily, we weren’t planning on buying a sofa; instead, we went down to the river. And if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, you should definitely come to the Nahe River. It’s so idyllic, so quiet, the birds are singing. And yet, we had to go to the Old Year’s Eve, because there, in the old house, the restaurant serves what is probably the most delicious dish in the region: Spiesbraten, or Obersteiner roast. We had it prepared on a rotating round grill, but you can also use skewers or even charcoal. There are a hundred ways to prepare Spiesbraten. As the recipe says, we were allowed to photograph the restaurant and the cooking process in the kitchen, for which we are extremely grateful to the owner. The state of Rhineland-Palatinate borders the state of Saarland. And as we watched the dish being prepared, I realized that people from that region, to put it mildly, dislike Saarlanders. And probably also vice versa. Here’s how it turned out. When I saw this rotating grill, I quietly told the cook that it looked like Saarland. After all, I studied there and know it well. This grill and the person who grills the meat are called a schwenker there. And I myself have been such a schwenker many times. But telling the cook this was a fatal mistake. He didn’t like the comparison, and in response, he muttered something mildly insulting towards to the people of Saarland. And then I realized I’d done the worst thing, comparing the two regions. I even had to apologize, but it was funny listening to this chef. Saarland also has Schwenker. My God, don’t insult me. Sorry, I didn’t mean to. These Sarlanders are called Spiesbraten. It’s a delicious treat, but not cheap. We had to shell out 38 euros per serving. Thanks to our friends for the invitation. They didn’t let me starve. And the restaurant’s website even has recipes for this dish in Russian. So take advantage and save money by preparing this delicious dish at home. And now let’s move on to the topic of precious stones. The region is rich in them, and they are a gold mine for the city. To facilitate trade with the rest of the world, a diamond and gemstone exchange was established in 1973. But they had already been processed here for about 500 years before that. We’ll see the most beautiful and valuable exhibits in the National Museum. The National Gem Museum is located in a Wilhelminian villa. And inside, there are 10,000 exhibits. We’ll probably spend the night here. 80% of the museum is made up of loaned exhibits. As I’ve already mentioned, the most beautiful objects, crafted here at various periods, are on display here. The museum has been open for over 150 years, but the exhibits have been housed in this building since 1996. The museum houses exhibits of global significance, all of which were cut and crafted in Idar Oberstein. Friends, this red gemstone, a red jasper, was originally made from a piece of rock or a large stone weighing 800 kg. It’s all written down here. And after processing, this ball weighed 224 kg. So much was simply removed, so to speak, unnecessary, yes, during the work. And it took the master 800 hours to create such beauty. In this place, we’ll learn how stones are processed. And here, behind me, is one of the oldest surviving grinding workshops. Beginning in the 15th century, local precious stones were processed here using hydroelectric power. Once inside, you find yourself in another universe, governed by its own rules. There are stone carving machines, large sandstone grinding wheels, which, by the way, weigh up to 3 tons. There, they’ll introduce you to the intricacies of grinding and demonstrate the main principle of operation. Everything around you spins, turns, and creaks. The main thing is that it doesn’t drag you in. Overall, it’s very cool, interesting, and unique. I’m delighted. This is one of the watermills used to process stones. There were only 138 of them. And they were located in different parts of the city, on a stream and on a river, and nearby is the workshop where these stones were processed. But by the 20th century, very few of these mills remained. And this is practically the only place where you can see firsthand how stones were processed back then. And for children under 8, there’s a sandbox with precious stones. It’s simply something. Find them and take them home. However, in another part of town, there’s a large sandbox for adults, where you can search for precious stones for 3.5 euros. Take whatever you find. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for this, but I would have gladly grabbed a hoe and plowed the earth. Since we were in the Holy of Holies, we wanted to understand the stones even more. So, we went to see collectors, who shared some fascinating information with us. Idar Oberstein became famous primarily for its tourmaline. Here in town, the conditions for processing the stones were ideal. And so, the raw material was brought here, which was then processed. Many people love tourmaline because it can’t be grown synthetically , like many gemstones, including diamonds. This is what a pure Paraiba tourmaline looks like, mined in Brazil in 1980. This stone costs around €30,000. And this figurine is made of hydrophilic agate from Idar Oberstein. This stone’s unusual feature is that it can change color when immersed in water. This means the stone has a somewhat porous structure, absorbing water and changing its hue. Once the stone dries, it regains its original color. And this is a Ural alexandrite, crafted by the renowned Russian master Dmitry Samorukov. Its main feature The beauty of this stone is that it changes color in the light. For me, it’s truly an imperial stone. This specimen includes agate, amethyst, and calcite. Like this jasper, it was mined here in Idar Oberstein. A huge thank you to the salon owner for his hospitality. This little, long-eared miracle guards all this wealth. Idar Oberstein is so world-famous in the context of precious stones that people who deal in stones simply had to say they were from here, and all doors would open. Unfortunately, those days are gone; the community has fragmented and become more individualistic. Many won’t rejoice at the success of others, but the system only works when everyone plays their part in achieving a common goal. A polisher is nothing if there’s nothing to polish. And collectors and buyers will have nothing to collect and buy if the raw materials for processing aren’t supplied. But despite the decline, the city still maintains its reputation as the world’s gemstone capital. A representative of the jewelry company, Reis Inayat Khan, a successor to his father, who founded the company, shared some interesting information with us. Back then, they supplied the raw material for processing. And at that time, there weren’t many foreigners working in this industry. They arrived later, after the opening of the gemstone exchange. We’re talking about 1975. Over time, the city acquired a reputation as home to the best stone cutters in the world. You could say that stones are cut in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Asia in general. But here they do it best of all. These stones were brought from different countries. The red ones from Nigeria, and the green ones from Namibia. This is tourmaline, with the highest quality processing. Why do I talk so much about tourmaline? Yes, because this stone occupies a special place in our business. This stone has the widest range of colors. Here you’ll also find top-quality stones from Namibia and these red ones from Nigeria. We make custom jewelry, collaborating with high-end jewelers. Here’s one of the rarest Paraiba stones, originally from Brazil. Paraiba is a rare type of tourmaline prized for its unique neon blue or blue-green color. The price of such stones, depending on the cut, ranges from €2,000 to €60,000 per carat. The price depends on the weight. This stone costs €40 per carat. For these better-cut ones, you’ll have to shell out up to €300 per carat. And how many carats are in this stone? It’s five carats. It makes a wonderful gift. I can even wrap one for you if you’d like. So, friends, if any of you are into stones, collect them, or are just curious, you know where to go. While you’re getting ready, packing, and planning, we’ll descend into the mines where, millions of years ago, all these gems were born in the fires of volcanic lava. This is the entrance to the treasure cave, located in the Kaulenberg mountain, where a huge number of precious stones are hidden. The mountain we’re in is very old, approximately 250 million years old. It formed from a volcano. But why did Idar Oberstein become a gemstone mecca? Let’s find out. This region is rich in precious stones because millions of years ago, there was volcanic activity here, and endless streams of lava flowed through the mountains. It was in the lava that the gemstones eventually formed. Initially, they were gas-filled bubbles trying to rise to the surface of the lava. But that didn’t happen. After 30 million years, these gas bubbles transformed into sparkling gemstones. And already in the Middle Ages, they began to be mined with hammers and chisels. It took the workers a year of hammering to advance just 1 meter in the cave . 1 year. It’s hard to imagine now. It’s impressive how big this mine is. You can walk 400 meters without stopping. This gemstone mine is the only one in all of Europe that any tourist can visit. All paths in the mine are accessible to people with disabilities. No matter the weather outside, rain or snow, it’s always 12°C inside the mine. Whether it’s raining, hot, or snowing outside, come here, you won’t regret it. There’s even an underground lake here that’s over 3,000 years old. A unique phenomenon inside the mountain is this underground lake. There’s a rocky outcrop in the water that locals call… The workers call it a dinosaur foot. Take a look for yourself. There’s a foot with toes and claws. There are also precious stones embedded in the foot. A trip into this mine is very interesting not only for children but also for adults. The tour lasts about an hour. Then, if you wish, you can search for stones yourself in a special area. You can take the stones home. This is a very interesting place. These numerous formations in the wall are the precious stones. And scientists can use them to determine where the lava flowed. After all, everything here is of volcanic origin. And it was in the lava flows that these precious stones were formed. And scientists have determined—we see this fragment here— that the lava flowed from a narrow spot to a wide spot. That is, it flowed from there from below upward in this direction. And as it flowed, these precious crystals formed there at that moment. Well, they had their own formation process. A very atmospheric place, very interesting. Be sure to plan a visit if you’re in Idar Oberstein. Returning from underground to the surface, our gaze will be drawn to the cliff above the town, where the ruins of Oberstein Castle stand. It rises on a steep slope overlooking the valley. The story began 800 years ago at the neighboring Bosselstein Castle across the street, when the family living there became close to representatives of Oberstein. Subsequently, before 1330, this castle was built on the opposite hill, where rulers subsequently resided. Subsequently, the castle was passed down through the generations. During the War of Reunification, the castle was captured by the corpses of Louis XIV. At the end of the 15th century, the region was overrun by the corpses of Napoleon. The castle was subsequently sold to a family from Oberstein at auction. In 1855, a major fire destroyed much of the castle. After the youth hostel vacated the building in 1956, the castle continued to deteriorate. After the wall on the eastern side simply collapsed, the townspeople became active and organized a society to protect and restore the castle. Thanks to considerable investment, the castle was gradually restored. Today, it is one of the town’s calling cards. Already at the end of the 15th century, this copper mine was considered the largest in Germany. And now it is considered the oldest mine in the world. Today, anyone can visit this place. Much of the mine is accessible to people with disabilities, and those who cannot visit it in person can do so virtually in 3D. A virtual copper mine. Wow. However, not the entire mine is barrier-free. Inside the mine, you have to climb 250 steps to explore the underground chambers. That’s why it was decided to develop a virtual 3D tour of the mine. The work at this site looked like this. Initially, there was no natural cave here. Everything here was a huge stone. And year after year, through human labor, caves were formed here. Back then, everything was done by hand, using hammers and other tools. So, in a day of such hard work, a miner would only advance two or five centimeters per square meter at most. Thus, in the Middle Ages, there was a strict rule that it took one person a year to advance one meter. Just imagine, sitting and chiseling this cave for a whole year. This large expansion in the cave is considered the largest space in all of Europe cleared of stone by hand and tools. There’s so much space here that, for comparison, the Porta Nigra, the remains of the Roman gate in Trier, would fit in here. But what was the purpose of such titanic efforts? Copper mining. Copper is used to make electrical wiring, pipes, roofing materials, and is also used in electronics, construction, art, and even medicine. What we see here is copper ore. It was mostly mined here. Up there, we see green. That’s malachite. Here it was mined, then smelted, and thus pure copper was extracted from it. There is no copper in its pure form in this mine. We see a model of a worker who worked not at this level, but approximately 60 meters deeper. Although we are already very deep. At that time, there was an entrance and exit for miners. They carried ore out of the mine using a dog. Let me explain. The dog was the name of the trailer in front. A worker. And this name is explained by the fact that when a heavily loaded wagon moved, and its wooden wheels pushed it along wooden rails, it made a creaking, wheezing sound, similar to a dog. That’s why this name stuck. People working deep underground were considered mystical persons. Almost all miners were very small, about the size of seven-year-old children. In addition, they wore brightly colored clothes, which were generally only allowed to the aristocracy. Miners had many privileges because they worked for the upper classes. They could wear brightly colored clothes: red, green, blue. They could wear a round hood. This is nothing more than an ordinary hood, but it did not protect you during work, and it was stuffed with straw. Because of this, it took on a shape. Today there is an expression: “You are a straw head.” Strohkopf, which means “You fool.” This is likely where the expression originates. Miners were also allowed to wear long beards. Because of their height, they were compared to dwarves and called protectors of the mountain. Imagine them: small dwarves in colorful clothes with long beards. That’s how the legend of the dwarves was born. Today, copper is no longer mined here. The underground chambers are intended for tourists and, imagine, for storing cheese. The cheese here comes from a neighboring town; it’s produced there, and here, in the cool air, it keeps perfectly. If you want to experience the mine’s mysterious, mystical atmosphere, come and experience it firsthand. The Jakob Bengel chain and jewelry factory was founded in 1873 as a watch chain factory. However, at the end of the 10th century, jewelry production became increasingly important for the local jewelry industry , so the product range was expanded. The increasing use of machinery reduced production costs and opened up a large market that soon expanded beyond Europe. The Jakob Bengel company gained international renown for its exquisite jewelry lines, such as Art Deco pieces. Production continued on this site until the 1990s . A permanent exhibition in the Jakob Bengel Industrial Monument presents the development of the jewelry metalworking industry and Idar Oberstein in the 19th and 20th centuries. Overall, the place is quite atmospheric and an interesting place to visit. Now, the silver lining is a bit more pronounced. Despite its gemstone industry, ore mining, and localized production, by the 2000s the city had accumulated large debts. Ironically , thanks to the global pandemic, the city was able to pay off its debts, as it is home to a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company Bayontec, which produces a vaccine. Profits from vaccine sales were enough to pay off debts and invest in the development of schools and kindergartens . But the pandemic ended, and the company’s profits also fell. Therefore, the city is at risk of debt again, as the budget has become deficit. In 2025, the city’s financial situation is assessed as difficult. This is also due to the closure of a branch of the large company Politek, which works partly for the auto industry. 250 qualified employees will lose their jobs. For a city with a population of about 30,000, this is a large loss. This is due to a lack of orders and an unstable market situation. Well, we return to mundane topics. And I have one more interesting fact about this city. Bruce Willis was born in this beautiful house, number 41. He lived here for several years, moved to America as a child, and became very famous. And after that, people who learned that Bruce Willis was born in this house became proud of him, and crowds of tourists began to come here. Bruce Willis is going through some tough times right now. It’s health-related. We wish him all the best. Friends, we’ve been making episodes from small medieval towns like Michelstadt, Idstein, and Bad Kreuznach lately . Now we’re back in the Middle Ages and we’ll see what this place has to offer. Does it have anything to offer? We popped into the town of Herstein because we had a couple of hours to spare, and we didn’t regret it. Standing in front of the town gates, you feel… It’s like being on the set of a medieval film. Just before the city gates, you can go into an old bakery and learn about the way of life back then, how bread was baked. Here’s the oven. And here’s where the finished bread was stacked. Here’s where the dough was kneaded. Next to the bakery, you’ll find a history museum with many interesting items from various eras. Here’s a torture device from the Middle Ages. Here’s a weaving loom. This is old harness and a team. A bicycle. But what impressed me most were these sewer pipes made from tree trunks. They were held together with strong clamps, and they remained in use until the end of the 18th century. Admission to both the museum and the bakery is free. And the town itself is a medieval paradise: small, comfortable, with an abundance of half-timbered buildings and a cozy café. What else do you need for a peaceful and beautiful life? Friends, that’s all for today. If you liked it, give it a like and subscribe. This will be your best thank you. And if you want us to present your city the same way we did this time, and if you can help with organizing the shoot, write in the comments, we will definitely help. Until next time. Bye-bye. We found a find of trees. More than 2,000 years old. And they’re petrified. Here’s one, here’s the second one. Here I am sitting on it. It’s incredible.

Что делает немецкий Идар-Оберштайн таким особенным: история, редчайшие кристаллы, специалитеты! https://youtu.be/U7RXat8_TBI
Сегодня мы отправляемся в увлекательное путешествие по Германии, чтобы исследовать Идар-Оберштайн. Это место славится своими уникальными драгоценными камнями и кристаллами, а также богатой геологией. Видео также включает захватывающее посещение рудников и местных достопримечательностей.
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– предлагаю услуги видео монтажа: Дни рожденья, Свадьбы, Путешествия и т.д
– помогу организовать Ваше путешествие: логистика, планирование, советы из личного опыта.
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00:00 Bступление
01:16 Кратко о городе
01:43 Смотровая башня. Im Gebück
02:58 Самый стары дом. У старого Гота
03:53 Замок Оберштайн. Первый правители
04:31 Музей минералов. Deutsches Mineralienmuseum
05:13 Первый продавец мороженого. Бэто Лоренцо
05:45 Рыночная площадь
06:10 Автомобильная дорога через город! Над рекой !
07:09 Площадь на Идаре. Auf der Idar Platz
07:59 Смотровая площадка
08:39 Фельзенкирхе
10:33 Узкая застройка города
10:58 У реки Наэ
12:00 Оберштайнское жаркое. Spiesbraten
12:30 Особенности менталитета соседствующих земель
13:53 Биржа алмазов и драгоценных камней. Diamant und Е delsteinbörse
14:21 Национальный музей драгоценных камней. Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum
16:22 Старая шлифовальня. Historische Weiherschleife
18:12 В гостях у коллекционеров. О камнях и их свойствах
20:45 Коллекционер Инаят Хан рассказывает о своем деле
22:54 Рудник Штайнкауленберг. Edelsteinmine Steinkaulenberg
26:19 Замок Оберштайн, история. Schloss Oberstein
27:59 Медный рудник. Kupferbergwerk Fischbach
33:09 Фабрика Якоба Бенгеля.Industriedenkmal Jakob Bengel
34:14 Ложка дегтя и меда одновременно.
35:19 Домик где родился Брюс Уиллис
35:52 Средневековый городок Херштайн. Dorf Herrstein
39:36 Завершение

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