Hornický skanzen Žacléř
The open-air museum of mining in Žacléř was created in the complex of the former bituminous coal mine Jan Šverma Žacléř (hereafter DJŠ). It is located about 5 km from the border crossing-point Královec – Lubawka.
Black coal mining in Žacléř region was first recorded in 1570 – the first document recording the assignment of mining claims was found in Křešov monastery in Poland – the region of Žacléř used to belong to the abbey. From archaeological findings we can assume that black coal mining was probably preceded in the 12th century by ore mining and treatment in this area.
Industrial deep mining started in the 1830’s with the opening of perpendicular pits Jiří, Františka, Marie, Julie and Eliška equipped by steam hauling engines. These pits initiated the opening of independent mines, which were only merged into one mine – Jan Šverma after 1945.
In the 1950’s a new pit was being sunk, called Jan, which replaced the pit called Marie. The pit Eliška was also abandoned in the 1960’s – only a fire bank of the same name has remained.
Deep mining in Jan Šverma in Žacléř was terminated by the Czech government’s decision to the date of 31st November 1992 due to high mining costs. About 75 million tons of black coal is supposed lie in the mine’s underground.
It is the only mine in the Czech Republic to be disposed of by a complete filling of its empty space in the shaft by a construction material produced out of high-volume waste. This is to avoid problems with drops and downthrows followed by fire damp ascent. Presently, abandonment of the main mine workings has finished and abandonment of free inaccessible spaces above the 1st floor of drill wells and workings, which are open from the open-cast coal mines in Žacléř, is to be finished soon.
After the deep mining had been closed, the face working area Žacléř was preserved and since 1998 surface mining of Žacléř’s bassets has been carried out.
More than 26 million tonnes of coal have been extracted by deep mining, whereas by surface mining only 330 thousand so far. However, surface mining uncovered some unique paleontological findings that could be preserved and became a part of the exposition in the hoist room of the pit Jan.
The open-air museum of mining in Žacléř is placed in the hoist rooms and shaft buildings with head frames of pits Jan and Julie. An exposition documenting the history of coal mining at Jan Šverma mine and open-cast mines in Žacléř is in the hoist room of the pit Jan. From the 52m tall head frame of the pit Jan you can view the country – eastern Giant Mountains with Sněžka, the massif of Vraní hory with Královecký Špičák and the open-air museum in its vicinity. Complete machinery in the shaft buildings and hoist rooms has been preserved, which had been in operation until the mining was terminated in 1992. Those interested may also look into a well-preserved part of the pit Julie and climb through the fang and the main mine ventilation into the ventilation station of the pit Julie.
