„St. Johannes” Mine & Tourist Route
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Acta Geoturistica volume 4 (2013), number 1, 32-38 Underground Track „St. Johannes” Mine & Tourist Route “By the traces of the former ore mining” in the Mirsk Commune as the example of post-mining relics’ management for geotourism MALWINA KOBYLAŃSKA KGHM CUPRUM Ltd Research & Development Centre ul. gen. Wł. Sikorskiego 2-8, 53-659 Wrocław (E-mail: [email protected]) ABSTRACT This article presents the issues concerning background, preparation and implementation of the project of post-mining relics’ management for geotourism and industrial tourism as regards the economy, technique, environment as well as formal-legal questions. For the last few years mining heritage geotourism has become a rapidly developing branch of geotourism. Also the number of products for tourism stimulating the development of regions has grown. The base for the analyses was the project implemented in the Mirsk Commune (Gierczyn-Krobica-Przecznica area) in Lower Silesia, Poland. Key words: geoturistic route, post-mining relics, mining heritage, Lower Silesia in Poland INTRODUCTION integral part of the Monumental Coal Mine “Guido” in Zabrze. The Centre pays its The idea of proper preservation and attention on protecting, promotion and preparation of former mines and post- addition the new values to the industrial mining remnants in aspect of making them heritage relics for touristic purposes. About available for tourists is becoming more and 25 years before creation of the Centre the more popular within local authorities in “Guido” former coal mine was transformed different countries. Within the reasons it into mining museum complex, which in should be mentioned the larger access to 2007 became independent cultural European Union’ funds as well as deeper institution operating under the auspices of understanding of values of post-industrial Zabrze municipality. Two levels open for heritage. The main measurable goals of public at 170 m and 320 m underground such undertakings is increase of tourist within this historical coal mine are well- attractiveness of the region as well as social known and important example of benefits. geotouristic attraction in the Upper Silesian Activity for protecting and disposal of Coal Basin (Dzięgiel, 2011). post-mining heritage for tourism has started The superior institution in Poland in this in Poland on larger scale since 2005 as a area is the National Heritage Board of result of world-wide trends observations in Poland, which has been created on 1st this branch as well as the initiative of the January 2011 as a consequence of World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). establishing the new status to the National Thanks to activities of this organization it Centre of Research and Monuments was possible to create the International Documentation. The mission of the Documentation and Research Centre on National Heritage Board of Poland is to Industrial Heritage for Tourism (IDRC- implement the State’s policy concerning the IHT) in September 2008, which is the protection of cultural heritage and its 32 Acta Geoturistica volume 4 (2013), number 1, 32-38 supervision through assuring the best and geotouristic routes, shows that these most comprehensive conditions for ventures have a huge touristic potential preserving it for future generations. In (Mikoś, 2008). These routes were mainly accordance with the strategies of these formed on the base of former gold mines organizations the aim of activities (the Gold Mine in Zloty Stok), salt mines connecting to post-industrial relics’ (the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine), uranium mines protection and preservation is to build a (the Underground Touristic-Educational social shared responsibility and to preserve Route in the Old Uranium Mine in Kletno) sustainable development rules. It means to as well as coal mines - the Heritage Park of operate with respect to environment Mining “Queen Luiza” in Zabrze. By 2010 protection issues and social matters. six underground post-mining tourist routes open for visitors in Lower Silesia region had been identified (Fijałkowska-Lichwa, EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS BASED 2011). ON HISTORICAL POST-MINING The understanding of the value of post- REMNANTS mining and post-metallurgy objects by their dispatchers as well local and private An active management of industrial investors was in last several years the heritage, along with mining heritage, has a beginning for a number of new wide touristic context. Post-industrial undertakings with the post-industrial and heritage tourism is touristic activity on the geotouristic character. For example only in areas, where the main attraction, and the 2012 were opened: main reason for visits is the heritage. Touristic Undergroud Route „Groty Within the most valuable, movable Nagórzyckie” in Tomaszów Mazowiecki monuments, their parts or complexes, the (Fig.1), best representative domains for history of Mining and Smelting Custom Park polish industry are among other things - in Michałkowice, mining and processing. The polish „Maciej” Shaft in Zabrze, experiences of the owners and Mining and Smelting Museum in administrators of open, mainly underground Leszczyna. Fig. 1 Touristic Underground Route “Groty Nagórzyckie”, newly opened in Tomaszów Mazowiecki. Source: www.groty.skansenpilicy.pl 33 Acta Geoturistica volume 4 (2013), number 1, 32-38 Accessory, the additional attractions in mining of tin and cobalt ore located in the existing routes were opened: area of the Mirsk Commune (the Lower renovated „Regis” Shaft and Mining Silesia in Poland) is connected with the Route within the project titled „the New research and inventory work performed in Adventure Tracks in Monumental the Izerskie Mountains since 1995 by the Wieliczka Salt Mine”, Faculty of Mining at the Wroclaw Multimedia Museum in Historic Technical University. The results of the Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry, mentioned works aroused the interest of the European Center of Technical government of the Mirsk Commune who Culture and Industrial Tourism (Part I) in started works aim to assessment of Mining Museum „Queen Luise” in Zabrze. technical and environmental conditions of The planned openings in 2013 and 2014 such initiative. In the area among Kotlina, are: Gierczyn and Przecznica over 20 post- „Główna Kluczowa Dziedziczna” mining objects were found and identified Adit in Zabrze, (Fig. 2). There are objects related to mainly „Multimedia Project in the Lill non-ferrous mining and metallurgy of tin Górna and Kazanów chambers” in and cobalt ore excluding mine waste rock Monumental Wieliczka Salt Mine, dumps from the deposit first working and „Middle Ages Technique Park” next exploitation. These objects were: post- to Touristic Underground Route in Złoty shafts holes, collapsed adits with different Stok, conditions, open-pit and underground Underground Track „St. Johannes” excavations relics, swelling remnants, drain Mine & Tourist Route “By the traces of the adits relics, the ruins of post-mining former ore mining” in the Mirsk Commune. buildings from 40. and 50. of 20th Century The last one of these projects served the as well as waste rock dumps (mentioned author as the example for analysis of above). conditions for implementation of the The condition of these objects showed programmes of post-mining heritage that they were improperly closed and management connecting with fulfilling the liquidated as well as reclamated. The targets of industrial tourism. inventory works pointed out that all holes and their surrounding are the places of storage and waste dumps with mainly PREPARATION FOR POST-MINING garbage waste but also hazardous waste. It RELICS’ MANAGEMENT FOR was supposed that one of the adits might be GEOTOURISM IN THE MIRSK used for sewage disposal to surface and COMMUNE underground water which is a threat for water environment but also for human The origin of every undertaking with the health (shaft wells). In connection with the geotouristic character is a disclosure of needs of these environmental problems object or objects complex of cultural solving, the Mirsk Commune launched the heritage, so in the case of post-mining investment co-financed by the European object these is often a disclosure of Union, within the Regional Operative collapsed entrance of adit or shaft. It is Programme for the Lower Silesia for the unfortunately and very often connected period 2007–2013 (Priority 4 – with a health and life hazard of humans or Environment and Ecological Security, animals. It is made for example through the Operation 4.5 – Reclamation of degraded finding of the post-exploitation cavern as a territories) – project which name is: hole in land surface. The origin of the „Reclamation of territories degraded by program whose purpose is management of mining activities in the area of the Mirsk the installations related to the former Commune and establishing the tourist route 34 Acta Geoturistica volume 4 (2013), number 1, 32-38 Fig. 2 The area of the tourist route “By the traces of the former ore mining”. Source: photo by M. Kobylańska. – By the traces of the former ore mining”. start of implementation of the project took The direct purpose of the project of place on 01.07.2010 and the official end establishing the mentioned geotourist route was in July 2013. The following phases of has been related to the reclamation of the undertaking were determined: territories degraded by former mining different surveys and analyses, activities within the area of the Mirsk detailed environmental and mining Commune, among the indirect ones have inventories, been the