Moseløkken – granite quarry museum on Bornholm
Moseløkken Stenbrudsmuseum is the only working quarry museum on Bornholm, located near the ruins of Hammershus Castle on the road between Allinge and Sandvig. The museum showcases over 150 years of Bornholm's stone industry – from hand-splitting granite to modern stoneworking techniques.
At Moseløkken you can not only see how stonemasons worked in the old days, but also try your own hand with hammer and chisel on a block of granite. The museum is run by retired stonemasons who share their craft with passion and humour – in the Bornholm dialect.
Good to know
- Granite quarried at Moseløkken was used to create the famous Carlsberg elephants in Copenhagen, the entrance portal of Christiansborg Palace and the columns of the National Museum of Denmark.
- A visit to Moseløkken pairs perfectly with exploring the ruins of Hammershus Castle – the two sites are just a short walk apart.
- The museum accepts cash and MobilePay only – card payments are not possible.
What to see and experience
A visit to Moseløkken is far more than a typical museum tour – it is a hands-on experience where you can touch, hear and feel the granite. The museum consists of exhibition buildings, open-air stonecutting workshops (huggeskure) and the quarry itself, which you can descend into.
Granite splitting demonstration is the main attraction. Stonemasons show how wedges and hammers are used to split multi-tonne blocks of rock – a technique practised for generations. They explain every step and are happy to answer questions.
Hands-on stonecutting – after instruction you can try operating drills and stonemason hammers yourself. It is a great activity for adults and children alike, who get a taste of what it was like to be a real stonecutter.
Exhibition in the museum building (Moseløkkehus) – an impressive stone house built from different varieties of Bornholm granite stands on the edge of the quarry. Inside you will find an overview of Bornholm's geological structure, samples of different granite types, original stonemason tools, panels on the history of the stone industry, and granite sculptures by artists including Anker Hansen and Ole Christensen. There is also a model of a stoneworker's home from "Langelinie" in Sandvig, recreated as it appeared around 1910.
The quarry – descend to the bottom
Moseløkken is one of the few quarries on Bornholm where extraction work still takes place periodically. When the quarry is not in operation, you can walk all the way down to the bottom and see the rock faces up close. The sight is truly impressive – vertical granite walls rise to several dozen metres. The quarry also attracts climbers who use the steep walls for practice.
Souvenir shop
A small shop at the museum sells souvenirs made from granite by the stonemasons working at Moseløkken. Custom pieces can also be ordered on request.
Combine your visit with Hammershus
Moseløkken lies right next to the ruins of Hammershus Castle – the largest medieval fortress in Scandinavia. Both sites can easily be visited in one day. Allow at least 1–1.5 hours for the quarry museum and another 1–2 hours for the castle ruins. It is a perfect combination of industrial and medieval history, set amidst the beautiful scenery of northern Bornholm.
How to get there
The museum is located at Moseløkkevej 9 in Allinge, in a wooded area between Allinge and Sandvig, right by the road leading to Hammershus.
By car – a convenient option is to park on Slotslyngvej (the road to Hammershus) and walk to the quarry museum from there – a forest path takes about 10–15 minutes. This way you can visit both Hammershus and Moseløkken in one stop.
By bicycle – cycling from Allinge or Sandvig is easy and straightforward. The route follows quiet roads through the forest and takes just a few minutes.
On foot – a scenic path from Sandvig leads through forests and along the coast. The walk takes about 20–30 minutes and can be a pleasant part of the trip.
Location
| Moseløkken Stenbrudsmuseum | |
| Moseløkkevej 9, 3770 Allinge, DK | |
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