Black Trout Adit

The Black Trout Adit in Tarnowskie Góry (Sztolnia Czarnego Pstrąga, roughly SHTOL-nya CHAR-neh-go PSTRON-ga) is a 600-meter stretch of a 19th-century drainage tunnel that visitors explore by boat, deep underground. It formed part of the system that kept the town's silver and lead mines dry, and today it belongs to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gliding through the dark, silent channel by lamplight is one of the most unusual things to do in Silesia — and a perfect pairing with the nearby Historic Silver Mine.

Where it is and how to get there

Tarnowskie Góry lies in Upper Silesia, southern Poland, about 30 km from Katowice Airport (Pyrzowice) — a 30–40 minute drive — and roughly 100 km northwest of Kraków. The adit is in Repty Śląskie, inside Repecki Park on Repecka Street. There is a free parking lot for cars and buses on Repecka Street; from there it is about a 15-minute walk through the park to the Sylwester shaft, where the visitor point is. Local buses (lines 3, 153, 614 and 780) run from the Tarnowskie Góry bus station, and line 135 comes from Bytom.

A short history

Tarnowskie Góry grew rich on silver and lead, but water flooding the mines was a constant problem. From the 16th century miners dug drainage adits that carried water away by gravity. After the Prussian state mine "Friedrich" (Fryderyk) opened in 1784, an ever deeper system was needed. Work on the Deep Friedrich Adit started in 1821; it was planned at 4,570 meters, dug from 14 faces at once with 26 ventilation shafts, and ceremonially opened on November 15, 1834, when miners sailed its lower section by boat. By 1880 the drainage network had grown to almost 15 km, and its water later also supplied industrial Silesia.

Local enthusiasts opened the section between the Ewa and Sylwester shafts to visitors, and the first tourists sailed through on September 15, 1957. In 2017 UNESCO inscribed the "Tarnowskie Góry Lead-Silver-Zinc Mine and its Underground Water Management System" on the World Heritage List.

What the visit is like

You start at the Sylwester shaft, descend to the level of the adit (the shafts are roughly 20–30 meters deep) and board a boat with a guide for the 600-meter trip to the Ewa shaft. The channel is narrow and partly lined with masonry; the still, black water reflects the lamps. Allow about an hour underground, or 1.5–2 hours including the walk through the park. It is about 10°C (50°F) underground all year, so bring a warm layer.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

Tours leave on the hour, and capacity is limited.

• October–November: Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Saturday–Sunday noon–3 p.m.
• December: Monday–Friday at noon, Saturday–Sunday noon–2 p.m.
• January–April: Monday–Friday at noon, weekends at noon and 1 p.m.
• Closed: November 1, December 24–26 and 31, January 1 and Easter Sunday.
• Tickets: standard 73 zł, reduced 62 zł, family 186 zł (2+1) or 248 zł (2+2). Tours in English (also German, Russian or Czech) cost 105/95 zł and must be booked ahead.
• Minimum age: 4 years.
• Booking: phone +48 32 285 49 96, email rezerwacje@kopalniasrebra.pl, or the operator's online shop.

Is it worth visiting in winter?

Yes — the underground temperature doesn't change with the seasons, and you'll share the boat with fewer people. Winter departures are less frequent, so book ahead. The operator also offers quirky extras: underground cold-water dipping (50 zł) and "floating," a solo drift through the silent adit (140 zł for one person, 190 zł for two).

Nearby

The Historic Silver Mine on Szczęść Boże Street, the other main part of the UNESCO site, has its own underground route; groups can book a combined ticket. Repecki Park, with its historic shaft buildings, and the old market square of Tarnowskie Góry are worth a stroll.