The museum is located on the site of the former coal mine “Julia” (once known by the name “Thorez”) which dates back to 1770. The mine was finally closed in 1990. The mechanisms used to extract the coal here became timeless monuments. These include the mine shafts, machinery and other mining equipment.

The main elements of the museum complex are the steel towers of the mine shafts “Julia” and “Sobotka” which dominate the museum. They were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries on the site of older shaft towers from several decades ago. The site also includes the buildings where the coal was cleaned and sorted, boiler rooms, workshops, lamp rooms, steam baths, offices and mine shaft warehouses.

The Lisia Adit, recently included as part of the museum complex, was built at the end of the 18th century. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it was filled with water to a depth of 1m so that the transport of coal could be made by boat. From all the mines in the Walbrzych area the overground structures of the “Julia” mine are the oldest and the best preserved complex of historic industrial buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Museum of Industry and Technology in Walbrzych (woj. Dolnoslaskie)

www.muzeum.walbrzych.pl