ABOUT US
Why choosing Mitho?
Mitho is more than a shop. It’s a continuation of a story — one rooted in family, curiosity, and a love for nature’s quiet wonders.
Every piece we offer is selected with intention. And every package we send carries a little of what defines us: real materials, real passion, and a real connection to the Earth.
Mitho – Minerals with Meaning
Mitho is a curated online shop offering natural crystals, rare formations, and one-of-a-kind mineral creations. Every piece is hand-selected for its character and origin. Some are entirely unique — like Amethyst tables, handmade mineral lamps, and other custom designs made by our father, Markus Klement.
What started as a private passion has grown into a collection we’re proud to share — one that reflects authenticity, craftsmanship, and a deep connection to the natural world.
From the Mineralienhotel to the World
Mitho was created by the Mineralienhotel Natznerhof — the world’s only hotel dedicated to minerals. It’s not inspired by the hotel. It is the hotel.
Located in Natz-Schabs, a quiet high plateau above Brixen in South Tyrol, the Mineralienhotel is home to over 1,500 mineral specimens from more than 50 countries and forms one of the most extensive private exhibitions in the Alpine region.
Mitho makes that unique experience accessible beyond Natz — to anyone who shares our fascination for minerals and what they represent.
Markus Klement – The Soul of Mitho
The heart of it all is Markus Klement — founder of the Mineralienhotel and a dedicated mineral collector since 1978.
As a teenager growing up in South Tyrol, his passion was sparked by a visit to the private collection of Paul Fischnaller from Teis — a renowned local collector who welcomed Markus into his world. Deeply connected to nature from an early age, Markus was immediately fascinated.
After showing genuine interest, Paul invited him to join on his first mineral trips. At the beginning, our grandfather came along, but soon Markus set off on his own. From Paul, he learned everything — the tools, the methods, and the unspoken knowledge of where and how to find what lies hidden in the mountains.
In his youth, Markus spent countless days exploring the Alps, often returning with minerals that would later become key pieces in the collection.
Over time, he built connections with collectors across Europe and beyond — including a Brazilian mineral dealer who remains a close friend to this day. From him, Markus bought his first-ever piece: a 140 kg Amethyst druse, which still stands proudly in the Mineralienhotel today. This relationship also led to the strong Brazilian presence in the collection.
Together with Paul, Markus travelled to Idar-Oberstein, the Aosta Valley, and many other regions. One of his most significant finds came in Aosta, where he discovered a 12-meter-deep crystal pocket — a once-in-a-lifetime moment for any collector.
While that find was unforgettable, it’s the connections Markus built over time that truly shaped the collection. Thanks to these long-standing friendships and a growing network of collectors, the mineral collection continues to grow — piece by piece, story by story.
Each mineral reflects not only nature’s beauty, but also the passion and care that went into finding or creating it.
A New Form of Creativity
Today, Markus has less time to go collecting himself, with the hotel and family life keeping him busy. But his creativity has taken a new form: he now designs and builds one-of-a-kind pieces, such as mineral lamps, Amethyst tables, wall-mounted displays, and many other handmade creations you’ll find throughout the Mineralienhotel — and now also at Mitho.