Freiluft Zementmuseum

Schwoich, Tyrol

museumstour

The Open-Air Cement Museum in Schwoich, not far from the fortress town of Kufstein, is considered the cradle of cement. At first glance, the open-air museum seems a little inconspicuous. Behind a massive stone wall with a large, round entrance gate, however, lies a wonderful museum just waiting to be discovered. The "kilns" can be found directly at the village entrance on the Eiberg towards Söll in the so-called "Russland". In 1842, Franz Kink began producing cement without the use of trass or pozzolans. He had thus created a building material similar to that created 40 years earlier by the Englishman James Parker. Schwoich became the cradle of the Austrian cement industry. In 1987, the municipality of Schwoich, together with the company Perlmoser AG, had two of the former kilns professionally restored.