Kremnica, the town situated in central Slovakia in Kremnické vrchy mountains won an attribute of the Golden Town. Gold was mined in its environs for centuries. It was also in Kremnica where golden coins were struck using the metal of the local ore. The mining past of Kremnica is witnessed to by several technical monuments.
The history of mines in Kremnica dates back to at least the 13th century. In the past, Kremnica ranked among the richest towns of the Kingdom of Hungary and its reputation and wealth came from the gold mining in its surrounding. Extraction of this precious metal finished in 2000.
The mining activities left several technical structures protected as technical monuments in the town and its environs. For instance, the ingenious system of three "heritable" tunnels serving to drain water of the mines still exists here.
Besides the heritable tunnels, also historical mining shafts have been preserved. Directly in the town there is Ferdinand shaft with its machine room and underground power station. Other shafts end on the surface north-west of the town where you can find the remains of the old "klopačka" – the structure used for calling miners to work.
As the entry gate to the underground, a relatively young Andrej shaft (Andrej štôlňa) from 1982 will be used. It is the only well-preserved mining work of art in Kremnica that suits well technically as well as safety wise for its visitors. Andrej shaft is distinguished by several mining arts of work that go back to the 19th and even the 16th century. This is the result of geological survey of miners in 1980's.
Source: Vydavateľstvo Dajama, Informačné centrum mesta Kremnica
