Ochre Adit in Złoty Stok

In the Ochre Adit (Sztolnia Ochrowa) the walls are the colour of rust, mustard and orange. This is natural ochre – a pigment formed from iron compounds, the same one used for centuries in paints and cosmetics. The passage is about 130 metres long, narrow and low, and ends at a spring whose water was studied by doctors as early as the First World War. It is the newest route at the Złoty Stok Gold Mine and also the quietest.

History: gold, arsenic and adits

Mining in Złoty Stok is documented from 1273, when Duke Henry IV Probus granted the Cistercians of Kamieniec Ząbkowicki the right to prospect. In the 16th century, according to the mine, local workings supplied about 8% of Europe's gold, and some 16 tonnes of gold were extracted in total. Later arsenic became the main product. The mine closed in 1961–1962, and on 28 May 1996 an underground tourist route opened. The Ochre Adit is a new section – its passages were flooded for decades.

What to see

• Ochre walls – orange and yellow coatings of iron compounds in their natural state.
• Traces of fire-setting – soot marks on the walls and ceiling. Miners once heated the rock with fire to make it crack; here the marks are unusually clear.
• A flooded shaft with its original timber lining and a drainage system several centuries old.
• Display boards with old miners' tools.
• The arsenic and iron spring at the end of the route. Its water was declared therapeutic in 1914; German wartime reports say it helped to treat wounds and anaemia.

At the adit entrance stands a carved spring outlet inscribed "Źródło arsenowo-żelazowe" (arsenic-iron spring) with the dates 1907 and 2016. It makes a good photo spot before you head underground.

Did you know?

• Tradition links Złoty Stok with one of the first documented uses of black powder for blasting rock in mining, in 1612.
• You can also explore the adit online, in an exhibition the mine created on Google Arts & Culture.

Tripto tip

• Tickets (mine price list, 2026): standard PLN 31, reduced PLN 26, children under 4 free; a compulsory helmet is included. A combined Mine + Adit ticket costs PLN 69, Settlement + Adit PLN 55, and a three-attraction package PLN 98 (standard prices).
• Time: the tour takes about 45 minutes, with Polish-language tours every 45 minutes in groups of up to 20. Hours change with the season – in autumn 2026 the mine listed daily opening 9:00–16:45.
• Clothing: the adit is 7–10°C with around 90% humidity all year. Bring a warm layer and closed shoes.
• Who it suits: the passages are tight, so people with claustrophobia may find it uncomfortable. English-language tours are available if booked in advance.