Idrija - A Heritage of Mercury 2013 ang

Information Tourist Information Centre (TIC), Vodnikova 3 www.visit-idrija.si +386 5 37 43 916 Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9 www.muzej-idrija-cerkno.si +386 5 37 26 600 Open daily: 9.00–18.00 Idrija Mercury Mine, Bazoviška 2 www.rzs-idrija.si Antony’s Main Road – Tourist Mine +386 5 37 71 142, +386 31 810 194 Tours: Mon–Fri: 10.00 and 15.00, Sat, Sun, holidays: 10.00, 15.00 and 16.00.

Group tours should be booked in advance.

Geological Collection +386 5 37 71 142, +386 31 810 194 Group tours should be booked in advance.

Idrija Lace School, Prelovčeva 2 www.cipkarskasola.si +3865 37 34 570, +386 51 664 250 Open: Mon–Fri: 10.00–13.00, July and Aug: open daily 11.30–14.30.

Group tours should be booked in advance.

Hu

Italia

Maribor Jože Pučnik Airport

Idrija

Ljubljana

Nova Gorica Airport Ronchi

Slovenija

In 2011 the European Commission bestowed upon Idrija, for the preservation and revitalisation of its heritage, the title of »European Destination of Excellence«.

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Austria

Croatia

Ljubljana 57 km Maribor 178 km Nova Gorica 55 km Jože Pučnik Airport 76 km Ronchi Airport 87 km

The Idrija Geopark comprises the highly diversified world of the Idrija municipality.

Its exceptional natural heritage ranks it among the most interesting regions of the world.

Published by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia • Editing: Martina Peljhan, Mojca Gorjup Kavčič, Tatjana Dizdarevič • Texts: Martina Peljhan, Mojca Gorjup Kavčič, Metka Rupnik • Translation: Suzana Stančič • Maps: Sašo A. Jankovič, F.O.R.T.I.S. d.o.o., Jaka Modic • Photos: archives of the Idrija Mercury Mine, Idrija Municipal Museum and ICRA Idrija, archives of the Idrija Lace School, Iztok Bončina, Iztok Hvala, Bogdan Kladnik, Jani Peternelj, Aleksander Rečnik, Samo Trebižan, Anka Vončina, Dunja Wedam • Archival materials: Austrian State Archives Vienna • Design: Ivana Kadivec, Jaka Modic • Printed by: Bograf tiskarna d.o.o. • Edition: 5000 copies • Idrija, November 2013

IDRIJA

A Heritage of Mercury

A Heritage of Mercury

Town Center In the old town center of Idrija, visitors will discover its mercury heritage at every step. They will notice it in the image of the baroque fountain that was erected by the townspeople in the center of Acachius Square in memory of the discovery of rich cinnabar ore on 22 June 1508.

They will follow it among the buildings encircling the square, from the impressive wheat store known as the Magazin to the Mine Theatre reputed as the oldest stone theatre building in Slovenia. They will feel it as they stroll through the Magazin’s underground passageway and mount the steps leading to the Town Square with its magnificent Town Hall and Elementary School, and continue onward to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where mercury was discovered. They will relive it as the path leads them past the monumental building of the first Slovenian nonclassical secondary school to the mine’s Gewerkenegg Castle.

Idrija is a town with the longest mining tradition in Slovenia.

Its history is inseparably linked to five centuries of extraction of a precious metal – mercury. Owing to its qualities, Idrija mercury had already played an important role in the preindustrial era, particularly in medicine and alchemy. Centuries afterward, it significantly co-shaped the development of world science, economy and medicine, and was indispensable in the amalgamation process for the extraction of gold and silver.

The mine attracted to Idrija the most eminent natural scientists and technical minds of the time in Europe. Together with local experts, they devised technological and technical innovations of European importance here, while the profits from the sale of mercury filled the treasuries of the monarchy and states that appropriated the mine in different periods. And as miners were transforming, throughout the mine’s history, the underground world below Idrija into a 700 km-long labyrinth of shafts and galleries, the town above it was developing and growing thanks to this silvery liquid metal.

After the mine’s shutdown, Idrija was left with an exceptional heritage – 500 years of mining that is today recognised the world over. In June 2012 the »Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija«, the two largest mercury mines in the world, was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The world has thus recognised the uniqueness and exceptional work of generations of Idrija miners who had created this heritage for almost half a millennium.

About the Mine and Mercury

Anthony's Main Road

GOOD LUCK! Cinnabar crystal

The mercury ore deposit was formed more than 230 million years ago as the result of intensive tectonic and volcanic activity in this region. Mercury-rich solutions rose from the depths and flowed along the rock faults. As they cooled, the mineral cinnabar began to crystallise. A particularity of the Idrija ore deposit is native mercury. A mine collection of cinnabar ores, minerals and rocks is on display in the administrative building of the Idrija Mercury Mine, located near Francis’ Shaft.

Over a period of 500 years, Idrija miners dug out more than 700 km of shafts and galleries beneath the town. The deepest parts of the mine reached a depth of 382 m. As many as 147,000 tons of mercury were extracted from cinnabar ore.

More than 3 million flasks were filled with this liquid metal and sold all over the world.

Legend has it that mercury was discovered by a tubmaker as he was soaking a wooden bucket in a stream. The Church of the Holy Trinity was erected on the spot of this discovery as early as in 1500.

Mercury (Hg) is the only metal in a liquid state at normal temperatures. It is 13.6 times heavier than water and almost twice as heavy as iron. Owing to its specific qualities and ability to dissolve most metals, mercury had an extremely widespread applicability.

Because of its constant rate of extensibility, it was utilised in the manufacture of thermometers, and due to its conductibility, it was widely used in the electric industry.

A visit to the oldest part of the mercury mine in Idrija is an unforgettable experience. Visitors enter Anthony’s Main Road through Entrance to museum part of the mine the prominent Šelštev building (former call room) and, dressed in green-black overalls and wearing a helmet, they embark on an unforgettable underground journey through mining history. The path through illuminated shafts leads to the underground Chapel of the Holy Trinity.

Visitors descend into the depths of the mine along wooden stairs, observing mercury drops trickling from the dark rocks. In the company of a guide, they learn about the toilsome work of miners and search for the mischievous mine dwarf named Perkmandlc.

From the Depths to the Surface

Ore Transport and Smelting Ore was initially transported from the pit to burning sites in leather packs on horseback. In the mid 19th century, a horsedriven railway was built. In the early 20th century, the railway was modernised and electric locomotives began to be used.

After World War II, a cableway was set up between Joseph’s Shaft and the smelting plant, which completely replaced the old railway transport system, and rails gradually disappeared from Idrija’s streets. Following the renewal of production in 1983, the cableway was replaced by truck transport.

Over a period of five centuries, ore smelting evolved from the simple burning of ore in piles to smelting in technically perfected Čermak-Špirek furnaces and the most modern rotary furnaces.

The extracted ore was first sorted by miners, then crushed into small pieces in the separation plant, and finally smelted in furnaces at temperatures from 600 to 800 ºC. This led to the formation of mercury vapours, which transformed into liquid metal during cooling in the condensation system.

Ore transport tower of Francis’ Shaft

Various shafts were used by Idrija miners to enter and exit the mine, as well as to transport ore from the pit. The deepest among them was Joseph’s Shaft (1786), which connected all 15 levels of the mine down to a depth of 382 m. Joseph’s Shaft was backfilled in its entirety in 2007. In addition to the preserved ore transport machine, an ore transport tower still rises above the rooftops of surrounding houses.

Some years after the completion of Joseph’s Shaft, intensive production led to the construction of Francis’ Shaft (1792), which is today one of the oldest preserved mine facilities in the town.

This shaft will continue to be used after the mine’s shutdown. Mine machines and devices are on display in the building of Francis’ Shaft. Among these is the Kley pump dating from 1893, which was used to pump pit water for more than fifty years. According to available data, the Kley pump from Idrija is the only pump of its kind in the world that has been preserved.

The former machine room of Inzaghi’s Shaft (1764) today houses the Tourist Information Centre.

Sorting ore

Rake Channel and the Kam¹t A huge kamšt was constructed in 1790, which pumped up 300 litres of water per minute from a depth of 283 m. The Idrija kamšt with its wooden water wheel (diameter 13.6 m) is the largest preserved device of its kind in the world.

The enormous energy needs of the mine were initially met using the driving force of water. For this purpose, the Idrijca River was dammed up near Kobila above Divje jezero (Wild Lake) at the end of the 16th century, and a 3.5 km-long channel called Rake was built.

For centuries the channel’s water flow drove the mine machines and water wheels (“kamšt”), which were used to pump water and lift loads from the pit.

Rake water channel

Klav¾e Ð water barriers From the very beginning, the mine needed enormous quantities of timber for the construction of wood supports in the pit and as a source of energy in the smelting of mercury ore.

Owing to the lack of well-managed forest roads, timber was floated along the Idrijca River and its tributaries from the mid 16th century onwards. At first, wooden barriers known as »klavže« were constructed. Later on, in the period of Maria Theresa’s reign, all the water barriers were built up with stone.

Mighty water barriers were constructed on the Idrijca and Belca rivers, and later in the valley of the Kanomljica stream. When sufficient quantities of timber were collected behind the barriers, they were opened. The floating timber was stopped by channels partitioning the Idrijca River in the center of the town.

Timber stacks prepared for floating

The water barriers still preserved today include the Idrija klavže in the Idrijca River basin, the Brus klavže and Putrih klavže on the Belca River, and the youngest Kanomeljske klavže in the valley of the Kanomljica stream.

Life of the Idrija Miner The life of Idrija miners was far from luxurious. Their wages often did not suffice for even the barest daily necessities. Yet they maintained a joy of living and gathered with friends to engage in conversations and social games.

In the past, a special type of house developed in Idrija, whose exterior gives the impression of a huge building. Just above Francis’ Shaft stands a miner’s house in which the living quarters of a miner’s family from the early 20th century are exhibited. These include typical rooms and furnishings: a small room or »kamra«, the »house«, and a kitchen with an open hearth where the women made their now famous Idrija žlikrofi.

Among the societies with the longest tradition in Slovenia is the Idrija Miners’ Brass Band. From its very beginnings, the band represented a form of amusement to the inhabitants of Idrija and its miners. Music lightened their daily loads, raised their national awareness, cheered them up and accompanied them in their final farewells to fellow miners, neighbours and family members.

Gewerkenegg Castle Dominating the old town center is Gewerkenegg Castle.

It was built at the beginning of the 16th century and served as the official seat of the mine administration and as a storehouse for wheat and mercury.

Today the castle houses the Idrija Municipal Museum and its permanent collection, »Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija«. The exhibited documents, maps, photos of Idrija and original specimens vividly illustrate the exceptional history of the mine and the town, the particularities of mining life, and the beauty of hand-made Idrija lace. The geological collection presents a selection of fossils, rocks, mercury ores and minerals.

The Idrija Municipal Museum received the title of Best European Museum of Technical and Industrial Heritage in 1997.

Richness of Idrija Lace An important contribution to the family budget of the Idrija miner was made by wives engaged in lacemaking. Miners’ wives utilised their entire earnings for the purchase of necessary food and clothing for their families. Young miners’ daughters used the money earned from lacemaking to buy their trousseaus. The longlasting tradition of lacemaking has continued to flourish in Idrija up to the present day.

The Lace School, with its quarters in the building of the elementary school, is dedicated to preserving the knowledge of numerous lacemaking techniques and elements. Today, the school is attended by around 400 young girls and boys. The products made by its students are displayed in the school’s exhibition room. Many of these lace pieces are true masterpieces. Visitors may attend a lacemaking demonstration and purchase professional literature and lace items.

On display at the Idrija Municipal Museum in Gewerkenegg Castle is a permanent exhibition of Idrija lace, »Idrija Lace, A History Written in Thread«, reputed as the largest exhibition of its kind in Slovenia. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the history of Idrija and European bobbin lacemaking, as well as into the lives of many generations of bobbin lacemakers, whose creations have adorned churches, homes and articles of clothing, and travelled the world far and wide.

During the largest cultural and tourist event organised in Idrija at the end of June – the Idrija Lace Festival, the town center comes alive with a rich outdoor fair of lace articles and local arts and crafts. The main event is a national lacemaking competition for children and adults.

Divje jezero (Wild Lake)

Lajšt bathing ground

Zgornja Idrijca Landscape Park At the beginning of the Rake channel and above the Kamšt water wheel is the well-maintained Scopoli´s Memorial Garden, established in honour of the first physicians, pharmacists, botanists and researchers who came to Idrija from the 18th century onward and began to spread their knowledge into the world. The most famous among them were the mine physician J.A. Scopoli, surgeon Balthasar Hacquet, and Franc Hladnik, a native of Idrija and founder of the Botanical Gardens in Ljubljana. This is also the beginning of a walking trail along the Rake channel which, after a distance of two and half kilometres, brings visitors to the most frequently visited natural attraction in these parts – the mysterious Divje jezero (Wild Lake). The lake is one of the largest karst springs in Slovenia. It extends into a submersed shaft that disappears into the depths far below the Črni Vrh plateau. So far, divers have descended to a depth of 164 metres.

The beauty and purity of the Idrijca River attracts numerous tourists and sport fishing enthusiasts.

In the upper reaches of the Idrijca River lies the Zgornja Idrijca Landscape Park, extending from the town of Idrija to the edge of the Golaki massif. The park boasts countless geological and botanical particularities and Idrija Primrose (Primula x venusta) attractions. It is the recreational center of the Idrija region and a true paradise for mountain biking. At the confluence of the Belca and Idrijca rivers is a well-maintained natural bathing ground – Lajšt. On display in the heart of the park is the Idrija lauf, the first forest railway in Europe. Not far away, the mighty water barriers – »klavže« rise up from the deep beds of the two rivers.

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Anthony’s Main Road

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Gewerkenegg Castle

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Nonclassical secondary school

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Church of the Holy Trinity

5 Town Hall 34

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Elementary school

7 Town Square 8

Magazin – mine wheat storehouse

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Mine Theatre

10 Achacius Square 20

11 Scopoli’s house – Švica 21

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12 Scopoli Square 13 Aumetz Square

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14 Francis’ Shaft 15 Administrative building of the Idrija Mercury Mine

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17 St. Anthony’s Church and Calvary

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18 Tourist Information Centre

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19 Church of St. Joseph the Worker

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21 Miners’ street 24

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20 Smelting plant

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16 Miner’s house

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22 Scopoli’s Memorial Garden 23 Joseph’s Shaft 24 Kamšt water pump

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25 Rake water channel 26 Kobila dam

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27 Wild Lake 28 Lajšt bathing ground 29 Idrija Lauf – forest railway 30 Idrija klavže – water barrier 31 Belca or Brus klavže

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32 Putrih klavže 33 Kanomlja klavže 34 Church of Mary on the Rock, Spodnja Idrija

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35 Kenda Manor, Spodnja Idrija