The film Blade Runner, which was introduced in 1982, is now one of the most popular cult films among science fiction fans. He has inspired numerous other films and shaped the science fiction genre. A monologue that appears within the film has been engaging fans since then and is also used in songs, books and computer games: The Tannhauser Gate. [Spoiler: The android mentions the gate with one of its last breaths]. Here is a contribution for the fan base to a possible origin.
Saalfeld in Thuringia is known, among other things, for its former mine, which has been called fairy cave since the beginning of the 20th century. Alum was mined here with the onset of the Reformation. A coveted material at the time that had been imported from the Orient up to then. Alternatively, there were also mines in Italy, but by papal decree this source of alum was only used by the Catholic Church. Alum could be used to make a dye, a fire protection glaze or natural deodorant, etc. With the discovery of chemical processes at the end of the 19th century, work in the mine came to an end. The only miner at the time described how he felt more comfortable at work, so a new source of income was discovered because the sole and the air in the mine could alleviate gout, rheumatism and lung diseases. The Berlin merchant Adolf Mützelburg, who now took over the mine, wanted to make sure that enough therapeutic baths were available inside the mine and had miners remove rubble and debris from the inside. Almost an accident occurred and too much material was removed from one place. A lamp broke and started a larger fire which illuminated a newly exposed cavity which led to great astonishment. The fairytale dome, later appropriately named, was uncovered. A stalactite cave with limestone formations developed over the millennia offered these explorers an enchanting sight. This led to the mine being used as an excursion destination and attraction from the beginning of the 20th century known throughout Germany. Siegfried Wagner, the son of composer Richard Wagner, was also very impressed by the sight. He was so impressed that for almost a decade he used a true-to-original image as the background for the Bayreuther Festspiele (yearly Musicfestival with music from Richard Wagner) of the opera Tannhauser as a stage design.
Back to the film Blade Runner: It is not easy to clarify who came up with the idea of the Tannhauser Gate. Screenwriter and director Sir Ridley Scott said that actor Rutger Hauer completely improvised the text. The same person in turn says he only improvised the last two sentences and the Tannhauser Gate was already in the script. Either way, in the course of time and the cinematic work it turned out again and again that Sir Ridley Scott has to be a big Wagner fan as you can see and hear about Gladiator or Alien: Covenant, for example.
The view of the stalactite formation could have been the starting point for Tannhauser Gate. Perhaps Sir Ridley Scott has been to visit here or he has seen an old film recording of Siegfried Wagner's performance?
Tim
