Museums

Medieval Mining Settlement in Złoty Stok

On the edge of Złoty Stok, a few hundred metres from the adits of the local Gold Mine, stands a full-size replica of a medieval mining settlement. The Medieval Mining Settlement, formerly known as the Medieval Park of Technology, recreates the life of a miners' camp at a 1:1 scale — with devices built in natural dimensions and powered purely by muscle. It is an address for families: the tour is led by a guide who involves visitors in working the machines together.

Muscle-powered machines

The settlement holds, among other things, a 15-metre horse gin once operated by horses, and a treadwheel crane weighing 3 tonnes — in the old days worked by children, who were employed in mines from an early age. The guide shows how the inventions moved without electricity worked and how much effort ore extraction cost. A curiosity is the habit of the old miners: they drank beer at work, which due to bacteria in the water was often the safer drink.

The underground tunnel and the Executioner's Hut

Part of the tour runs through an underground tunnel, prepared in a gloomy style and ending with a visit to the Executioner's Hut. The attraction refers to the medieval Office of the Executioner that operated in Złoty Stok. Added to this are stories about the work of whole families — the hard tasks that awaited not only miners but also women and children.

In practice

The Mining Settlement is located at Złota Street 2 and belongs to the Gold Mine complex, whose entrance lies about 0.6 km away. A combined ticket also covers the nearby Ochrow Adit, open to visitors. Current opening hours and prices are best checked on the kopalniazlota.pl website before your trip, as the range of routes can be seasonal.