Discover Tarnowitz: Mining Heritage and Culture

Underground Visitor Routes and Mining History

The Kopalnia Zabytkowa Rud Srebronośnych also takes visitors underground: its visitor route is 1,700 metres long, with boats operating along a 270-metre section. Compared with the 600-metre ride at the Sztolnia Czarnego Pstrąga, these figures show that the visitor attractions described have different lengths, but do not indicate how long a visit takes. The Sztolnia route includes shaft No. 13 (Ewa), which serves as an entrance to this underground visitor route. Visitors interested in mining history will find specific places in Tarnowitz where they can explore the subject through different visitor routes.

City History, Art and Technology

Above ground, buildings and collections tell other stories about the city. The Sedlaczek inn building is considered the best-preserved example of historic secular architecture in Tarnowitz. Renaissance ceilings, portals and vaults define the building. At the Muzeum w Tarnowskich Górach, mementos of the city’s history sit alongside a collection of early modern Western European paintings. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul has an almost 60-metre-high tower dating from the 16th century. Inside, tomb slabs, a stained-glass group and several high-quality paintings have been preserved.

The history of technology is also on display at the Skansen Maszyn Parowych. The site covers about one hectare, with an industrial landscape and extraordinary technological inventions. Another landmark in the cityscape is the Dzwonnica Gwarków, which was moved to Plac Gwarków in 1955. The Gwarki Procession is included on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. These examples take different forms—from historic buildings and technical installations to intangible heritage—and offer a reason to explore Tarnowitz beyond its underground routes.

Routes, Park and Regional Themes

Miejski Park in Tarnowitz is described as the best-preserved, most extensive and most diverse of the parks established on former mining sites. For those who would like to include outdoor routes as well as underground attractions, there is an official railway and cycling route: it runs by bicycle or on foot through Tarnowitz and Repecki Park, then follows the Drama towards Zbrosławice. Tarnowitz has more than 30 kilometres of cycling routes, combined pedestrian and cycle paths, and cycle lanes on roadways. There are also the Szlak Donnesmarcków, the Szlak Gwarków and the Szlak UNESCO. These details offer different options for planning a trip, depending on whether you are interested in a designated route or a cycling network.

Regional pilgrimage and museum themes also extend beyond Tarnowitz. The Droga Św. Jakuba “Via Regia” passes through Radzionków and is intended for individual pilgrims or small groups, regardless of denomination or nationality. It leads to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. In Radzionków, the Muzeum Chleba, Szkoły i Ciekawostek focuses on baking, the history of bread and production techniques; its collection comprises several thousand exhibits. The region thus brings together a range of interests, from mining heritage to the history of bread.

One culinary highlight is Festiwal Śląskie Smaki: the 18th festival took place on 2 June 2024 in Tarnowitz Market Square. The festival, organised since 2006, features regional dishes and culinary demonstrations. Another technical attraction, the Zabytkowa Stacja Wodociągowa Zawada, is located in Karchowice on the grounds of a waterworks complex.

More local pages: Tarnowskie Góry, Radzionków, Kalety, Wieszowa, Pyrzowice, Miasteczko Śląskie, Nowe Chechło, Ziętek, Boniowice, Świerklaniec, Nowa Wieś Tworoska, Tąpkowice, Krupski Młyn, Księży Las, Szałsza.

For the broader travel overview: Silesia.