Technical and industrial monuments in Czech Republic by Petr Novak

Technical and industrial monuments

Technical and industrial monuments The Czech Republic is exceptionally rich in technical and industrial monuments – there are currently 3,000 protected sites, and the most important have been declared national cultural monuments. This ranks them among the nation’s most precious cultural treasures, which include urban conservation areas, castles, châteaux, folk architecture, religious monuments and other sites of exceptional importance for Czech and European culture and history. This is what makes the Czech Republic such an attractive tourist destination. Technical monuments such as a medieval stone bridge or a towering head-frame of an abandoned mine can evoke a particular place and time just as effectively as a Gothic cathedral or a Baroque château. We invite you to join us on an unconventional journey through the Czech Republic’s technical treasures, and we offer up tips for visiting the most interesting sites in every region of the country. National Cultural Monument

Prague bridges The breathtaking Prague panorama, which attracts millions of tourists to the Czech Republic each year, is made complete by the bridges spanning the Vltava (Moldau) River. Built over the course of centuries, there are a total of 18 bridges. The oldest one is the Charles Bridge, which connects the most attractive areas of Prague: Old Town and Malá Strana. Its foundation stone was laid by King Charles IV in 1357, and its unparalleled sculptural decoration was added in the Baroque period. The longest (352 metres), widest (55 metres), and also busiest bridge is the Barrandov Bridge (1988). Positioned across the river in an oblique direction, it is a primary traffic artery of the city’s ring road.

www.praguewelcome.cz GPS: 50°5’9.951”N, 14°24’49.883”E • Map D3

Old Sewage Cleaning Station in Prague-Bubeneč As Prague became a modern metropolis in the 19th century, the city had to solve a fundamental problem: the removal and treatment of waste water. The pinnacle of the Prague sewage system was construction of a mechanical water-treatment plant (in operation from 1906 to 1967), designed by the famous British engineer W.H. Lindley. A beautiful building in the Art Nouveau style, featuring a mysterious labyrinth of vaulted underground chambers built from fired bricks and with its still functional steam engines, today it serves as the Eco-technical Museum and holds many interesting exhibitions and events. 2

www.ekotechnickemuseum.cz GPS: 50°6’36.07”N, 14°24’7.47”E • Map D3

Petřín lookout tower A height of 63.5 metres, 174 tonnes of steel, 299 steps, and 110 years old – this is the basic data about the one-fifthscale replica of the the Eiffel Tower, which was built by enthusiastic Czech tourists after visiting Paris in 1889. Two years later, an exposition of Czech industry was held in Prague, based on the model of world expos, to present the most exciting new advances of the day. Some of them remained in the city permanently, such as electric lighting, tramways and the lookout tower at the top of Petřín Hill, to which crowds of visitors still travel via funicular to take in spectacular views of the city. 3

http://stovezata.praha.eu/petrinska-rozhledna.html GPS: 50°5’0.537”N, 14°23’41.965”E • Map D3

“Silver city” Kutná Hora The discovery of rich silver deposits in the 13th century prompted headlong development of this city, which for a long time was second only to Prague as a centre of politics, economics and culture in the Czech lands. The silver Prague groschen, which Czech King Wenceslas II ordered to be coined in the local mint in 1300, ranked among the most popular European currencies. After mining came to an end, reminders of its history remained in the form of mine shafts, slag heaps, depressions in the earth, and also a waterworks system that was used to power equipment and to supply drinking water to the city. An educational trail leads visitors to sites connected with silver-mining in the Kutná Hora area, and tours at the Czech Museum of Silver at Hrádek and at Vlašský dvůr (Italian Court), including a descent into the St George shaft, present the history and technology of local mining and ore processing.

www.kutnahora.cz GPS: 49°56’41.52”N, 15°15’48.36”E • Map E3

Mayrau Open-Air Mining Museum in Vinařice near Kladno The discovery of bituminous coal in the late 18th century triggered the industrial revolution, and its symbol in the Czech lands became the Kladno coal-mining district near Prague. The biggest (and also the most dangerous) mine shaft was the Mayrau Mine in Vinařice, founded 1874. After mining came to a close in 1997, a mining museum with an authentic industrial atmosphere was established here. The original winding equipment is a testament to the excellent standard of Czech mining, and the casually arranged exposition paints a vivid picture of the miners’ hard daily toil. The raw environment of the former coal mine is also an inspirational venue for contemporary art and cultural activities. 5

www.mayrau.wz.cz GPS: 50°9’56.869”N, 14°5’2.799”E • Map C3

Příbram Mining Museum The vast complex of the largest mining museum in the Czech Republic takes us back to the times when silver-mining made Příbram the mining centre of Central Europe for a hundred years. The open-air museum features more than fifty interesting exhibits located in the original mining buildings and underground shafts, with examples of historical mining equipment and housing for miners’ families. Visitors can take a ride on a mine train and enjoy a beautiful view from the former shaft towers.

www.muzeum-pribram.cz GPS: 49°41’13.999”N, 14°0’14.999”E • Map C4

Railway viaduct near Žampach – the Sázava Pacific In the rugged terrain around the Vltava (Moldau) and Sázava rivers near Prague, a total of 157 kilometres of railway track came to be known as the “Sázava Pacific”. Built at the end of the 19th century, with construction lasting more than 20 years, it required bold technical solutions, including bridges, high embankments, breakthroughs and tunnels. For example, the impressive railway viaduct near Žampach, dating from 1900, is the highest stone bridge in the Czech Republic. Railway tracks on which the “Pacific” emerges directly from a rock tunnel to take a sharp curve while climbing a relatively steep gradient are situated 40 metres above the valley floor.

www.pacifikem.cz, www.posazavsky-pacifik.cz GPS: 49°52’22.531”N, 14°29’15.301”E • Map D3

Czech Railways Museum in Lužná near Rakovník The largest collection of historical rolling stock in the Czech Republic can be seen in the summer season at a small railway station 50 kilometres from Prague. It exhibits steam and diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars, models, and a railway car repair shop. It also organizes interesting events for lovers of old trains.

www.cdmuzeum.cz GPS: 50°8’42.289”N, 13°46’28.79”E • Map C3

Lešany Military Technical Museum One of the most important European military museums, it contains a unique collection of military vehicles, dating from 1890 to the present. With displays located under shelters, in big halls and in open spaces of former barracks, the museum features more than 500 historical tanks, cannons, motorcycles, and armoured military trucks and passenger cars. The pride of the museum is a collection of Škoda System cannons. 9

www.vhu.cz GPS: 49°51’19”N, 14°32’18.999”E • Map D3

Škoda Auto Museum in Mladá Boleslav This museum operated by the largest Czech car manufacturer presents the history of Škoda car production from its beginnings to its latest models. A modern multimedia presentation in the former manufacturing facility takes visitors on a journey from preliminary design sketches to the production assembly line. The factory was founded in 1895 by two enthusiastic pioneers of cycling, Václav Laurin & Václav Klement. They began by repairing and manufacturing velocipedes and later moved on to motorcycles and their famous car Voiturette A (1905) – which marked the automobile’s beginnings in Bohemia. Over the course of the 20th century, the company has grown from a small factory on the edge of town to a giant complex whose area now covers almost one-half of the city. 10

www.skoda-auto.cz GPS: 50°25’7.699”N, 14°54’49.949”E • Map D2

Horse-drawn railway between České Budějovice and Linz The need to speed up the transport of goods (mainly salt) from Bohemia to parts south arose as early as the Middle Ages. The idea to build a canal between the Vltava (Moldau) and the Dunaj (Danube) rivers was superseded in the early 19th century by a bold plan to build an iron road based on the British model. The first railway on the European continent, offering regular freight and irregular passenger transport, led from the south Bohemian city of České Budějovice to Linz in Austria. It was 120.8 kilometres long and its cars were pulled by horses. After 40 years of operation, it was replaced by steam trains in 1872, and over time its track and related buildings nearly disappeared. Its history is now recalled by a small museum in České Budějovice.

www.muzeumcb.cz GPS: 48°58’9.009”N, 14°28’46.254”E • Map D5

Jindřichův Hradec narrow-gauge railway “The world’s smallest railway station” – and one of the few railway routes in the Czech Republic that uses narrow-gauge tracks (760 mm) – is located in the village of Kaproun and has been serving passenger and freight transport for more than 100 years. The old diesel and steam engine trains are loved by tourists for outings to the untamed nature of “Bohemian Canada” (Česká Kanada) on the Czech border with Austria. Its starting point is the beautiful historical city of Jindřichův Hradec, and it runs a total of 79 kilometres with 30 stations and stops. The railway’s speed limit is 50 km/h. 12

www.jhmd.cz GPS: 49°9’18.627”N, 15°0’14.614”E • Map D5

South Bohemian pond system In the moderate terrain of the south Bohemian countryside, lacking major rivers and lakes, a magnificent system of shallow man-made ponds was created in the Renaissance period and used primarily for breeding fish – Czech carp has long been a renowned delicacy, even in royal courts. The largest pond in Central Europe, so expansive that the curvature of the earth’s surface can be observed on it, is Rožmberk (with almost 6 million cubic metres of water and a dam 2.5 kilometres in length). The ponds are supplied with fresh river water, which is discharged at harvest time, and also many mills are powered by man-made channels, such as the Zlatá stoka (Golden Canal) and Nová řeka (New River).

www.trebonsko.cz GPS: 49°0’11.36”N, 14°46’13.069”E • Map D5

Bridge in Písek and Křižík Hydropower Plant The ancient town of Písek, which boasts the oldest preserved bridge structure in Bohemia (a 111-metre granite bridge with seven arches built over the Otava River in the late 13th century and decorated with Baroque sculptures in the 18th century). It was among the first places in Bohemia where the “Czech Edison”, the engineer František Křižík, installed public electric lighting (in 1887). For this purpose, the first hydropower plant was built, which today supplies electricity to the power network once again while also serving as a museum.

www.icpisek.cz GPS: 49°18’27.044”N, 14°8’46.29”E • Map C4

Bridge in Stádlec One of the last remaining chain suspension bridges in Europe and the longest in the Czech Republic (157 metres), it was built in 1848 across the Vltava (Moldau) River near the village of Podolsko. The existence of this unique Late Empire object was threatened by the filling of the newly constructed Orlík Dam in 1960, as it was to be submerged. The bridge was dismantled in time and it found a new home across the Lužnice River in Stádlec, where it was rebuilt using the original materials and construction (two brick gates and a wooden deck atop a metal structure). It has been serving traffic in its new location since 1975.

www.stadlec.info GPS: 49°22’2.236”N, 14°30’52.636”E • Map D4

Hop Museum in Žatec Hops have been venerated in the Czech lands for a thousand years, because without the proper hop the beer is not good. In the past, beer was brewed in every village and in many households. Hops flourished everywhere, but over time the growing was concentrated in the Žatec (Saaz) region. Due to its unique properties, the delicately aromatic hop, protected under the name Saaz, is used worldwide to produce the highest quality brands of beer. In the Saaz region, aside from the hops themselves, there is also an appreciable number of one-of-a-kind industrial buildings connected with hops (used for drying, storage, packing of hops, certification, etc.) spread over more than 300 communities, but the centre of the tradition is the town of Žatec. In the newly built Temple of Hops and Beer complex (Chrám chmele a piva), visitors can look forward to a unique hop-growing museum, a maze, a lookout tower, a microbrewery and other attractions. 16

www.chchp.cz GPS: 50°19’29.762”N, 13°32’42.281”E • Map B2

Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzeň

Breweries around the world produce beer that they call Pils or Pilsner, but there is only one original – from the west Bohemian city of Plzeň (Pilsen). The golden lager of unrivalled quality was first brewed here in 1842. The secrets of brewing and the history of serving and drinking the beer over the centuries is introduced at a brewing museum located in a medieval building in the heart of the city. But better yet is to take a tour of the newly renovated historical buildings and the cellars of the brewery itself, which offers tastings of unfiltered Pilsner Urquell. The brewery is on the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH).

www.prazdroj.cz GPS: 49°44’48.238”N, 13°23’14.13”E • Map B4

Šumava hydropower plants The mountainous landscape of the Šumava (Bohemian Forest), where in the Middle Ages an impenetrable national border was created, today is interwoven with nature, bike and ski trails. We can still see unique waterworks for floating timber as well as more modern waterworks – hydropower plants. The one in the settlement of Čeňkova pila (Čeněk’s Sawmill) was rebuilt in 1912 from a water-powered sawmill, and for a long time its Francis turbine fed electricity to the entire town of Kašperské Hory. The still functional device is part of a permanent exhibition about Šumava hydropower plants located in the complex of the Vydra Power Plant, which was built on the river of that name in 1934–1938.

www.cenkova-pila.ceskehory.cz, www.jiznicechy.org GPS: 49°6’21.946”N, 13°29’33.896”E • Map B5

Schwarzenberg timber-floating channel Nearly 8 million cubic metres of firewood was transported from the mountainous landscape of the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) to Vienna during the century-long “golden age” of this timber-floating channel (belonging to the noble Schwarzenberg family), until this delivery mode was superseded in 1892 by the cheaper and faster railway. Barge transports to Austria completely stopped in 1919, however they continued on the Czech side until 1966. From 1789 to 1822, the gradually extended channel eventually reached 52 kilometres and it included bridges, sluice gates and other equipment. It was fed by 27 streams, three man-made reservoirs and one natural lake. Along the channel there is an educational trail and a road that is suitable for cyclists; in the summer, demonstrations of timber floating can be seen. 19

www.schw-kan.com GPS: 48°48’59.116”N, 13°52’39.152”E • Map C5

Moser Glassworks in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) A tour of the world-famous glass factory in the spa town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), which for more than 150 years has dedicated itself to handmade luxury glass, is infused with a magical atmosphere of colour and tradition. A modern museum with more than 2,000 exhibits presents the history of the Moser Glassworks , its owners, and its glass production, from the earliest creations to the current collection. Its renowned beverage glasses and gift pieces can be purchased onsite in the company shop. 20

www.moser-glass.com GPS: 50°13’43”N, 12°50’19”E • Map C5

Iron mill in Dobřív This two-hundred-year-old iron mill, powered by four water wheels, is the only monument of its kind in the Czech Republic. It is preserved in its original location with the original equipment from the mid-19th century, which is still in operation. Visitors can take an accelerated course in the blacksmith’s craft here and obtain an original certificate of apprenticeship.

www.turisturaj.cz GPS: 49°43’10.24”N, 13°41’31.019”E • Map C4

Minting Museum in Jáchymov In the Renaissance building (from 1536) of the former Royal Mint, where silver thalers were once pressed (from which the word dollar is derived), visitors can view an exhibition about the city’s history, the geology and mineralogy of the Krušné hory (Ore Mountains), and ore mining in the 16th century. The fame of the local silver-mining and mint was eclipsed in the 1950s by the unfortunate mining of uraninite (uranium) in labour camps (established in uranium mines by the Nazis during World War II), where thousands of political prisoners suffered under the communist regime. More than 70,000 unjustly convicted prisoners toiled in the uranium mines near Jáchymov and Příbram in central Bohemia. Most of the uranium was exported to the Soviet Union.

http://kvmuz.cz GPS: 50°22’19.78”N, 12°54’47.248”E • Map B2

Střekov Lock in Ústí nad Labem

From time immemorial, the Labe (Elbe), one of the biggest rivers in Europe, originating in the peaks of the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) and running 358.3 km to the German border, has served for shipping transport. Its navigability is ensured by a range of technical works, of which the most recent on Czech territory is the Masaryk Locks in Ústí nad Labem, directly below the historic Střekov Castle. At the time of construction (in 1923–1936), it consisted of two locks and a 111-metre weir, through which it is possible to overcome a height difference between water levels of almost 10 metres. It is the largest and most modern water structure in the country, and it also includes a fish ladder. The force of the river’s flow is used by a hydroelectric power plant with three vertical Kaplan turbines.

www.hrad-strekov.cz/nejblizsi-okoli.php 50°38’21.339”N, 14°3’2.219”E • Map C2

Les Království (Forest Kingdom) Reservoir (Bílá Třemešná) The spring thaw in the mountains around the Labe (Elbe) River was frequently catastrophic, and after a devastating flood in 1897 it was decided to calm the river by building two dams with storage reservoirs, which would contain and regulate the sudden inundation of water. One was built in the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) below Špindlerův Mlýn and the second, called Les Království (Forest Kingdom), was constructed in a narrow wooded valley of river above Dvůr Králové. The fairy tale appearance of the dam, with turrets and battlements, does not diminish its function. It is 224 metres long and 41 metres high, and in the 1920s a small hydroelectric power plant was added. 24

www.pla.cz 50°27’52.66”N, 15°47’31.855”E • Map E2

Hučák small hydroelectric power plant on the Labe River in Hradec Králové At the beginning of the 20th century, the city council in Hradec Králové decided to move to protect people from the frequent flooding of the Labe (Elbe) and Orlice rivers. During regulatory work, construction of a steam-powered electric power plant and an electricity-driven waterworks was also initiated. The beautiful Art Nouveau building of the power plant is a great example of architectural craft in a technical work. It is a testament to the broad-mindedness and courage of the Hradec Králové city hall, which in the first third of the 20th century invited the top Czech architects to build public works for the city. Located in the power plant building today is an information centre that familiarizes visitors with renewable energy.

www.mesto-hradeckralove.cz 50°12’25”N, 15°49’33”E • Map E3

Harrachov 33,36 33 Liberec 34 33 Tan 23 Ústí n. Labem

2 Mladá Boleslav 10

Žatec 16

Jáchymov 22

5 Vinařice Kladno 8 Lužná 1,2,3 Praha Rakovník

20 Karlovy Vary

Žampach 7

Plzeň 17

Rokycany Dobřív 21

Dvůr K n. L

Hradec Krá

Kutná Hora 4 Kamenný přívoz 9 Lešany

6 Příbram

4 Písek 14

Čeňkova pila 18

Kašperské Hory České Budějovice 11

15 Stádlec Jindřichův Hradec 12 13 Třeboň

19 Nová Pec

6 | Příbram Mining Museum C4

17 | Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzeň B4

7 | Railway viaduct near Žampach – the Sázava Pacific D3

18 | Šumava hydropower plants B5

8 | Czech Railways Museum in Lužná near Rakovník C3

19 | Schwarzenberg timber-floating channel C5 20 | Moser Glassworks in Karlovy Vary B3

9 | Lešany Military Technical Museum D3

21 | Iron mill in Dobřív C4

10 | Škoda Auto Museum in Mladá Boleslav D2

22 | Minting Museum in Jáchymov B2

11 | Horse-drawn railway between České Budějovice and Linz D5

23 | Střekov Lock in Ústí nad Labem C2 24 | Les Království (Forest Kingdom) Reservoir (Bílá Třemešná) E2

Technical and industrial monuments

3 Kořenov nvald 24 Bílá Třemešná

Králové Labem

28 Dobrošov 26 Jaroměř 29 Rokytnice v Orl. horách

álové 25

Těchonín 30 32 Kočí

27 Králíky 35 Velké Losiny Ostrava 37,38,39

31 Hlinsko

41 Kopřivnice

Jezernice 40

46 Rožnov pod Radhoštěm 43 Ruprechtov Brno

48 Ba ťa Ca na l

Adamov 42

47 Zlín Otrokovice

Veselí nad Moravou

Rohatec 45 Slup

25 | Hučák small hydroelectric power plant on the Labe River in Hradec Králové E3 26 | Fortress Josefov in Jaroměř F2 27 | Borderland defence fortifications – Králíky Military Museum G3 28 | Dobrošov Artillery Fortress F2 29 | Hanička Artillery Fortress in Rokytnice in the Orlické hory (Orlice Mountains) F3 30 | Bouda Artillery Fortification in Těchonín F3 31 | Veselý kopec (Happy Hill) open-air museum near Hlinsko E3

44 Kuželov

32 | Covered bridge in Kočí near Chrudim E3

45 | Watermill in Slup F5

33 | Mountain railway Tanvald–Kořenov–Harrachov E1,2

46 | Moravian Wallachia Open-Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm H4

34 | Ještěd Tower in Liberec D2

47 | Zlín H4

35 | Paper Museum in Velké Losiny G3

48 | Baťa Canal G,H5

36 | Family Glassworks in Harrachov E1

Fortress Josefov in Jaroměř To defend the border against Prussia, Emperor Joseph II had a fortress built in the late 18th century. Part of its defence system was a 45-kilometre underground corridor – at that time probably the largest subterranean complex in Europe. Today, visitors can take guided tours of the mysterious labyrinth with lamps and candles in hand, admiring the technical sophistication and strategical acumen of the military engineers of the time. 26

www.pevnostjosefov.cz GPS: 50°12’41.457”N, 12°34’45.939”E • Map F2

Borderland defence fortifications – Králíky Military Museum On the eve of World War II (1935–1938), the security defences of the Czechoslovak Republic included a line of fortifications in the border area, built on the model of the Maginot Line in France. On the southern border with Austria, which did not pose such a big threat, the borders were instead secured with military cabins (one of them – the Šatov artillery bunker – today serves as a museum). The most vulnerable areas on the country’s northern border, where a German attack could be expected, were protected with substantial fortifications, which are still preserved. You can learn about their history and military equipment at the Králíky Military Museum. 27

www.armyfort.com GPS: 50°5’39”N, 16°45’20.999”E • Map G3

Dobrošov Artillery Fortress As a result of historic events (the Munich Agreement of 1938), only part of the border fortification system was completed, and aside from the mobilization in the autumn of 1938 it was never used for military purposes. The Dobrošov Artillery Fortress near the east Bohemian town of Náchod also remained unfinished, and today it serves as a museum. Nearby educational trails tell the story of the ingenious fortification plans. 28

www.pevnost-dobrosov.kvalitne.cz GPS: 50°24’8.5”N, 16°12’8.501”E • Map F2

Hanička Artillery Fortress in Rokytnice in the Orlické hory (Orlice Mountains)

One of five defence fortresses whose construction was completed, this artillery fortress was intended for 426 men (six battle buildings connected by underground passages and rooms). It now contains a unique military museum whose exhibition covers historical and current military equipment and weaponry as well as the history of the Czechoslovak Army. 29

www.hanicka.cz, www.orlickehory.net GPS: 50°11’45.532”N, 16°30’35.269”E • Map F3

Bouda Artillery Fortification in Těchonín This reinforced-concrete artillery fortification was completed, but it was never used for defence of the Czechoslovak Republic. The German Army occupied it without resistance in September 1938. Today, in terms of area, it is the largest museum of Czechoslovak permanent fortifications from the years 1935–1938 on the territory of the Czech Republic. The two-hour tour leads 1.540 metres through the underground, 1,000 metres over the surface of the fortress, 251 steps up and 366 down. 30

www.bunkry.cz/bouda GPS: 50°4’9.19”N, 16°40’37.426”E • Map F3

Veselý kopec (Happy Hill) open-air museum near Hlinsko A museum of folk architecture in its natural environment demonstrates how people in this poor mountain region lived from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. Arranged in several settlements are original buildings together with those transferred from surrounding areas, including examples of technical folk heritage. Notably, there is a unique collection of functional water-powered equipment, including a watermill, sawmill, oil press, bark grinder, bleachery, and iron-mill. 31

www.vesely-kopec.eu GPS: 49°45’36.999”N, 15°50’18.999”E • Map E3

Covered bridge in Kočí near Chrudim Even though the local marshes were drained long ago and are recalled only by a symbolic masonry ditch, the village of Kočí has one of the oldest covered wooden bridges in the Czech lands (dating from 1721). The preserved bridge brings religious pilgrims to a 14th-century church, which Queen Sophia had built in thanks for a miraculous rescue from drowning in a swamp. The bridge leads directly to the church, which is topped by a distinctive wooden bell tower with bells from 1496 and 1562. 32

www.obeckoci.cz GPS: 49°56’51.376”N, 15°51’20.231”E • Map E3

Mountain railway Tanvald–Kořenov–Harrachov A unique railway connecting the Jizerské hory (Jizera Mountains) with the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) climbs the difficult terrain between Tanvald and Harrachov. On the first leg of the route, it overcomes a height difference of 235 metres with a gradient of up to 58 per thousand (the largest in the Czech Republic) with a special cog mechanism built in the years 1900–1902. Along the attractive 12-kilometre route there are five tunnels, with the longest measuring 940 metres, and a bridge scaling 26 metres above the Jizera River. 33

www.zubacka.cz GPS: 50°44’34”N, 15°18’37.999”E • Map E1,2

Ještěd Tower in Liberec The majestic Ještěd Mountain (1,012 metres) has always been a crowning symbol of the city of Liberec and the entire north Bohemia region. After a fire at the former hotel (in 1963), the architect Karel Hubáček built on the mountain’s peak a modern television transmission tower whose antenna has an internal compensation pendulum to help it withstand wind gusts. The lower floors contain a hotel and restaurant. The building, which combines technical ingenuity and elegance while completing the silhouette of the mountain ridge in a unique way, was rightfully awarded the prestigious Auguste Perret Prize for architecture in 1969.

www.liberecky-kraj.cz GPS: 50°44’31.222”N, 15°1’41.227”E • Map D2

Paper Museum in Velké Losiny The oldest papermill, with continuous production of handmade paper since 1594, is unique in Central Europe, not only from an architectural standpoint (located in the original Baroque building) but mainly because of its preserved technical equipment. Besides an interesting exhibition, it offers visitors the possibility to participate in the papermaking process.

www.muzeumpapiru.cz GPS: 50°1’54.479”N, 17°2’25.408”E • Map G3

Family Glassworks in Harrachov In this renowned ski resort, one of the oldest Czech glassworks (founded before 1712) preserves the traditional method of hand-crafted glassmaking. A small museum acquaints visitors with glassmaking techniques, but better still is a tour of the manufacturing facilities themselves, including the historical glass-cutting room, whose equipment is powered by a water turbine with transmissions. An onsite restaurant with its own microbrewery offers a view of the glassmakers at work in the glass-blowing hall below. 36

www.sklarnaharrachov.cz GPS: 50°46’56.855”N, 15°25’10.939”E • Map E1

Michal Mine in Ostrava Ostrava’s first fully electrified mine, with its beautiful late Art Nouveau architecture, is included on the list of Europe’s most interesting industrial heritage (European Route of Industrial Heritage – ERIH). The complex, including the engine room with its original technical equipment, is accessible to the public as a museum. 37

www.dul-michal.cz GPS: 49°50’32.841”N, 18°20’39.299”E • Map I3

Hlubina Mine in Ostrava and blast furnaces in the Vítkovice Ironworks Originally a poor region of pastures and smallhold farmers, beginning in the early 19th century the area experienced rapid industrial development, inseparably linked with the mining of high-quality black coal and related metallurgical production. The characteristic silhouette of smokestacks, blast furnaces, technical bridges and other facilities as one looks southward from the city centre is dominated by the Hlubina Mine, a coking plant, and blast furnaces in the Vítkovice Ironworks – the oldest one, dating from 1828, was the very first in the entire Austrian Empire. The uniqueness of this complex was recognized in 2008, when it was granted the status of European Heritage Label. It earned this honour because of the unusually long period it was in operation (from the 1830s to the end of the 20th century) and the comprehensiveness of its production, which ranged from the mining of bituminous coal and the coking process to the manufacture of pig iron. 38

www.dolnioblastvitkovice.cz GPS: 49°49’4.993”N, 18°16’30.357”E • Map I3

Landek Mining Museum in Ostrava

The largest mining museum in Moravia offers visitors the opportunity to descend directly into the mine along with other authentic experiences connected with coal-mining (a visit to shafts in the Albert and František mining seams, an educational trail on the adjacent Landek Hill) and mining rescue work, plus a unique exhibition and demonstration of machinery. It is open all year round in the complex of the former Anselm Mine, which was first excavated in 1835. 39

www.landekpark.cz GPS: 49°51’58.687”N, 18°15’41.179”E • Map I3

Jezernice Railway Viaduct near Hranice na Moravě The oldest railway in Central Europe, originally designed for the transport of salt, grain and livestock, contributed to the development of mining and industry in north Moravia and opened a path to its bituminous coalfields. The so-called Ferdinand Northern Route (Kaiser Ferdinands-Nordbahn), whose 450 kilometres of track connected three nations of the former Austrian Empire, was among the most important railway lines in Europe. It led from Vienna southward to Trieste and northward through Ostrava to Polish Galicia. Traffic on the first section of the line began in 1839. In addition to grandiose and archetypal railway structures, a number of purely technical works were built along its route, such as the railway viaduct (1844) by the village of Jezernice near Hranice na Moravě. The bridge is still functional, and at 426 metres with 41 arches it is the longest in the Czech Republic. 40

www.strednimorava-tourism.cz GPS: 49°32’13.914”N, 17°37’50.833”E • Map H4

Tatra Technical Museum in Kopřivnice Cars, vehicle undercarriages, engines, models, designs, inventions, motorracing trophies – all connected with the famous Tatra brand name. A modern audio-visual exhibition presents the first Czech car (the “Präsident” from 1897), the first lorry (1898), a futuristic railway engine (the “Slovak Bullet” from 1936), and the famous off-road vehicle in which the legendary explorers Jiří Hanzelka and Miroslav Zikmund travelled the world. 41

www.tatramuseum.cz GPS: 49°36’0.579”N, 18°8’36.09”E • Map H4

Old Ironmill near Adamov The story of the origins of iron production is presented in this historical metallurgical complex, established before 1736 in the traditional ironmaking area of the Moravský kras (Moravian Karst). The main attraction, the massive torso of the Františka charcoal blast furnace with its related technical equipment, is part of a technical reservation and presents visitors with a number of exhibitions and demonstrations of the manufacturing processes.

www.technicalmuseum.cz GPS: 49°18’24.588”N, 16°40’40.855”E • Map G4

Ruprechtov Windmill A classic Dutch-style windmill that dates to 1873 with a four-blade wheel and a revolving roof. After a devastating storm in 1884, it received a modern American Halladay turbine, unique not only in Bohemia but also in Europe. The turbine had only been used in the United States to power saws and water pumps. It is still functional, rotating 16 metres above the ground, with a diameter of 10 meters and weighing around 2 tonnes.

www.mlynruprechtov.cz GPS: 49°19’57.499”N, 16°50’53.12”E • Map G4

Kuželov Windmill

A brick windmill of the so-called Dutch type from 1842 is equipped with its original functional grinding equipment, and the display is complemented by exhibits on smallhold farming and folk architecture in the region.

www.technicalmuseum.cz GPS: 48°51’9.769”N, 17°29’45.119”E • Map H5

Watermill in Slup This late Renaissance watermill is one of the largest surviving examples in the country. Its original equipment is not preserved, but machinery was brought here from nonfunctioning mills in flooded areas of the newly established Dalešice Dam. An exhibition on the history of milling is supplemented with a demonstration of four types of milling technology, including four undershot water wheels.

www.technicalmuseum.cz GPS: 48°47’0.999”N, 16°12’1”E • Map F5

Zlín The transformation of a provincial town into an international centre of the footwear industry and a jewel of Functionalist architecture was triggered by the stratospheric growth of the Baťa family shoe business starting in the early 20th century. Baťa’s success was based on American-style assemblyline manufacturing, advertising, flexible pricing, and the cultivation of skilled workers and youths. Baťa’s dream of an ideally functioning city situated amid greenery with areas for work, housing, recreation, shopping and entertainment was implemented by the best Czech architects. A unified industrial look ingeniously links the factory premises (including the first skyscraper in Central Europe), the workers’ living quarters, and experimental collective houses with other urban structures (schools, a town hall, hotel, cinema, museum, a forest cemetery chapel, a church). Permanent reminders of the former shoe empire are its buildings, a museum, and film studios that hold the oldest festival of films for children and youth.

www.regionzlinsko.cz, www.vychodni-morava.cz GPS: 49°13’32.71”N, 17°39’47.49”E • Map H4

Moravian Wallachia Open-Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm Folk culture – the way of life and farming in this individualistic Moravian region – is presented to visitors in the oldest open-air museum in Central Europe (established in 1924). The newest part of the large outdoor complex (dating from 1982) is called “Mill Valley” (Mlýnská dolina) and is open all year round. It features a collection of hydro-powered technical structures (a watermill, sawmill, fulling mill, oil press, iron-mill). There is also a display of traditional modes of transportation. 46

www.vmp.cz GPS: 49°27’38.281”N, 18°8’42.457”E • Map H4

Baťa Canal

The 53-kilometre canal, partly man-made and partly leading along the Morava River, originated just before World War II as an inexpensive shipping route between the towns of Rohatec and Otrokovice and was also used for irrigation. The construction was financed primarily by Bata Shoes, which used it to cheaply transport coal from mines to its factory buildings. Today, with its unique canal locks, dams and bridges, it has become a popular summer tourist attraction, with boat rentals, waterside pubs, camping, grilling, and everything else that is part of summertime on the water.

www.batacanal.cz GPS: 49°15’5.338”N, 17°39’11.09”E • 49°15’4.882”N, 17°28’38.568”E • Map G,H5

Published for CzechTourism by Česká produkční s.r.o. © Prague 2011 Text: Yvonna Fričová, Translation: Mimi Fronczak Rogers, graphic design: Petr Novák SENS, expert adviser: Ing. arch. Eva Dvořáková, photos: Marek Bartoš, CzechTourism, fotobanka.cz, Pavel Frič, Hynek Hladík, Pavel Hořejší, Petr Klaban, museum Lešany, Museum of Coinage, Petr Novosad, Jan Pohribný, Pavel Syrový, Jan Ševčík, Pavel Šturm, Technical Museum in Brno, Wikipedia - Jan Loužek The data given cannot be guaranteed in spite of meticulous research.

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Technical and industrial monuments

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