Blachówka Quarry

On Srebrna Góra hill (347 m), on the border of Tarnowskie Góry and Bytom, lies Blachówka — a former dolomite quarry famous as the "Silesian canyon": red, cracked earth and rock walls form a landscape unlike anything else in the region.

A century of dolomite, centuries of silver

Mining on Srebrna Góra has a longer pedigree: for centuries the hill yielded native silver, galena (lead ore with a silver admixture) and calamine (zinc ore). Extraction of the dolomite itself began a little over 100 years ago and ended in 1990. Underground galleries and chambers survive in the rock, where bats hibernate — the entrance at the bottom of the pit is gated.

Nature reclaiming the ground

Since the quarry closed, vegetation has been gradually taking over: trees have woven across the floor, and plant succession is advancing on the walls and spoil heaps. The Segiet nature reserve — a protected beech forest — adjoins the workings directly, and a year-round ski complex, Sport Dolina, operates nearby. This is why Blachówka is usually visited as a set: a walk through the quarry, the reserve and a viewpoint in one loop.

In practice`nThe Blachówka quarry workings are closed to tourists because of the risk of falling rocks. Do not enter the quarry or cross barriers. The Segiet nature reserve may be visited only on designated walking and cycling trails; check the current rules on the RDOŚ website before travelling.