Ever wondered where you can find the world’s largest quartz crystal cluster? That’s right here at the Kristall Galerie.
The Kristall Galerie in Swakopmund is more than just a gallery. It is the vision of Johannes Adolf Kleynhans. He turned his passion for collecting and revising stones into a place to share earth’s masterpieces. Founded in 1998, it has been designed for you to discover gems.
Inside the Kristall Galerie, you will find a fascinating display of crystals and gemstones. The highlight is the largest quartz crystal cluster on display worldwide. This natural wonder is about 520 million years old. It was discovered in the Erongo region in August 1985. Imagine a crystal cluster 3 meters high and 3 meters wide. It weighs over 14,000 kg. The excavation of this delicate crystal took five years.
But the Kristall Galerie offers even more. The forecourt shows remnants of an eruption. The gem garden allows you to discover assorted tumbled semi-precious gemstones. A replica of the Otjua Tourmaline Mine awaits you in the crystal cave.
You can watch experts crafting jewellery and gifts in the craft area. The manufacturing studio creates unique jewellery. Natural gemstones from Namibian mines are set in gold or silver. Customers can specify their designs. If you want gemstone mementoes, visit the GemShop. It offers bead necklaces, art objects and carvings.
Outside the Kristall Galerie, quartzite boulders display quartz veins. Amethyst and white quartz grow from the vein edges. These veins show open-space filling. The quartz crystals from Otjua are often doubly terminated. This identifies them as floaters. They grew while floating in mineralizing fluid. One floater weighs about 1 ton. It is part of a cluster in the Kristall Galerie foyer.
After exploring the Kristall Galerie, relax at the coffee bar. Enjoy refreshments and admire the view. You can also watch informative videos about crystals. La Tourmaline Jewellery Boutique presents fine jewellery. These pieces are crafted to German standards with cut stones. Diamonds enhance some pieces.
The Kristall Galerie is an educational geoscience facility. It shows the wonders of geology. The quartz cluster consists of milky and smoky quartz. Individual quartz crystals measure up to 2 meters long. Their circumference is up to 2 meters. Green tourmaline occurs with the quartz crystals. Some tourmalines have a pink core and a green rim, called watermelon tourmalines. The source of these crystals is a zoned pegmatite. This pegmatite was mined for tourmaline.
Remember the Kristall Galerie. It is a place where you can witness the beauty and power of nature. It displays treasures created by powerful natural forces. These minerals and rocks hold clues to our planet’s history.