A visit to MergelRijk is a cave visit next level. It is like walking through a geological work of art. The cave has a magical atmosphere and offers a unique insight into the natural wonders of the earth, which humans have gratefully used.
Other caves you can only visit with a guide, but the cave visit in MergelRijk is a whole new way of exploring the marl caves of South Limburg: it is an interactive experience, where you can not only explore the cave on your own and at your own pace, but also learn more about the history of the marl caves and about the use of marl than anywhere else.
Here are some of the main topics covered during the cave visit:
After the creator and founder of MergelRijk personally welcomes you, each visit begins with a special film screening created by the Sand Wizard. This is the artist known from Efteling and TV, known for his unique art form of sand drawings. It is a visual experience that is both artistic and educational.
The Sand Wizard has used very fine marl sand to artfully tell you the story about the genesis of the marl caves. The drawings and sculptures are thus linked to the marl from MergelRijk in an innovative way.
About 65 million years ago, there was a sea in what is now part of the Netherlands and Europe. This was during the Cretaceous (better known as the time of the dinosaurs). Earth's geography then looked very different from today. Instead of today's land masses, there were seas and oceans. This sea contributed to the formation of the marl that can later be found in the caves of South Limburg! The accumulation of skeletons of marine animals such as ammonites, sea urchins and Mosasaurs eventually led to the formation of marl and limestone.
At the Mosaquarium, you walk yourself through a layer of earth that was the seabed millions of years ago and get an insight into what it looked like here 65 million years ago. You can see the metre-long Mosasaurus swimming, for example.
After learning all about the origin of marl, it's time to discover how the corridor systems, or Limburg marl caves, were created.
Block breaking is a mining technique in which large blocks of marlstone are extracted from the earth. The blocks were broken loose using saws and chisels. Hence the name block breaking. In MergelRijk, you can see a beautiful, lifelike sand sculpture of one of the many farmers who used to work as a block breaker in the cave during the winter months.
Marl art and sand sculptures are both fascinating art forms that you can admire at MergelRijk. The sculptures and murals were created by craftsmen and artists who used their talents to carve the soft stone and create works of art ranging from historical figures to abstract art.
It is an interactive experience where you can not only admire the works of art, but also learn more about the different techniques of marl working. This adds a surprising artistic element to your cave walk. The largest artwork on display is MergelRijk is a life-size sculpture of Rembrandt van Rijn's painting The Night Watch and is made entirely of marlstone.
Several legends and stories surround the marl caves in South Limburg. Carved over the centuries for marl extraction, the caves have always had a mysterious aura. The dark and sometimes labyrinthine corridors, combined with the ancient history and use of the caves for all kinds of purposes, have contributed to the creation of many folkloric tales.
The two best-known legends that took place in the caves and are depicted in MergelRijk are the legends of the Bokkerijders and the Auvermennekes.
DinoRijk is a themed area in MergelRijk that revolves entirely around prehistory, and in particular the time of the dinosaurs. In DinoRijk, you can experience for yourself what life on earth was like during the time of the dinosaurs. Dinorijk offers an interactive experience where you can see life-size models of dinosaurs. These models are sometimes movable and can make sounds, making it seem as if the dinosaurs are really coming to life.
The environment is themed, with plants, trees and decorations that make you feel like you are really in an era of dinosaurs.
Part of the cave is named after Thomas Didden, who left his name in the cave in 1706. The Thomas Didden quarry has been closed for centuries and has only been open to the public since 2019. What is so special about this deepest part of the cave is that it is still completely as the block breakers left it hundreds of years ago. It was also a hiding place for some families during World War II.
You will experience the serene silence and lack of light and imagine the conditions under which the block breakers used to work every day or what it was like to stay there in hiding. Just as Thomas Didden did in 1706, you too can immortalise your name on a wall of this quarry!
Mushroom cultivation in the marl caves was a unique aspect of Limburg's agricultural history. The natural advantages of the caves, such as constant temperature and humidity, made this method an ideal way to grow mushrooms, especially in the 20th century.
Growing in caves is less common nowadays, but in MergelRijk you can still see how zit used to be done. This is depicted with a lifelike scene of cave mushroom cultivation, made of sand art and featuring an original news bulletin from the 1950s, when cave mushroom cultivation flourished.
Bats in caves are a common sight, especially in areas with many underground caves such as in southern Limburg. Caves are an ideal shelter for bats, especially as they provide a cool, dark and quiet environment, which are the perfect conditions for bats to rest, hibernate and reproduce.
No bats reside in MergelRijk, but as these are fascinating creatures associated with the marl caves, they are attractively featured in MergelRijk.
The Jan Kruysen Portrait Gallery is a gallery in the grotto of MergelRijk that displays an extraordinary collection of portraits created by Dutch artist Jan Kruysen in 1924.
Jan Kruysen is an artist known for his realistic portraiture and capturing human expression in a highly detailed and vivid manner. The portraits were created in the characteristic ways of painting art in marl caves, namely with charcoal directly on the marl wall. Jan Kruysen not only captured the external features of the persons, but also expressed their deeper inner world with them. Very special to see!
A visit takes 1.5 hours on average, often a little longer with small children. REMEMBER: after 3pm, you cannot enter.
