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Steel city phenomenon

Ostrava – industrial and steel city


Do you want to experience a shift of a miner from Ostrava, work in a coke-preparation plant or at the fire of blast furnaces? An authentic experience of mining is offered to you in former mining areas in Ostrava.

Industrial complexes in Ostrava are entirely unique in comparison with the rest of the world. There are preserved complexes of till recently working mines, coke plants and blast furnaces, and in compact shape there is a complete technology of metallurgy, based on the black coal, presented. Ostrava is a historical testament of a development of an agriculture town, that changed from a stagnate place to the industrial city within the 19th and 20th century. It is a tangible proof of a development of a city, based on heavy industry, and its uniqueness is confirmed by listing the most characteristic complexes in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These complexes are: Anselm / Eduard Urx Mine, Michal / Petr Cingr Mine in Ostrava-Michálkovice, Hlubina Mine, coke-preparation plant and blast furnage of Vítkovice ironworks and windy pit Vrbice in Ostrava.

Mining and coal processing in Ostravsko is connected with the count Václav Kořenský z Těrešova, who attempted for the first purposeful mining. However, the real regular mining started in 19th century, as a result of development of ironworks and a construction of railways. Same time Ostrava's face rapidly changed : from stagnate agriculture region to populous industrial area. After foundation of Czechoslovakia, Hlučínsko was annexed and this allowed foundation of Velká Ostrava in 1924 and fusion of some mines. After 1989, mines of Ostrava were closed, except for Karviná complex, Paskov Mine and Stařič at Frýdek-Místek's. Frenštát Mine was sealed.  

Technical monuments connected with mining and black coal utilization:
Lower Vítkovice area – complex consists of mine, blast furnage and coke-preparation plant.
 

Landek park


Landek Park represents the biggest mining muzeum in Czech Republic. Single exhibitions follow a development of the mining in Ostravsko and Karvinsko, presenting also history of coalmine emergency (emergency specialized on challenging interventions aka accidents during mining shift).
 

Mine Alexander


Deep black coal Alexander mine ended its activity in 1992. Mine is not open for visitors, but you can see monumental above ground constructions: two head frames, that were declared cultural monuments, an old octagon chimney, boiler station and several  other buildings.
 

Ema


Spoil tip Ema is created with millions of tons of mined spoil coming from Ostrava mines. Its beginning probably date before 1920. White puffs of gas, containing mainly sulphur dioxide, prove that the spoil tip is still working.
 

Production of iron


Production of very fine iron naturally followed mining production. One of the most significant orders Vítkovice ironworks obtained, was a transport of rails for the construction of Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway. Later the ironworks became exclusive purveyor of armour plating for Austria-Hungaria warships. After foundation of independent Czechoslovakia, ironworks produced components for power stations, giant shafts for ships, cauldrons and seamless vessels, and exported them worldwide. Vítkovice is a leader in the steel bottles production and have close to a 1/5 share on worldwide market for specialized crankshafts for large maritime ships.

You simply need to see this with your own eyes, because nowhere else you can find such a concentration of industrial rarities.

 

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