One of the most interesting examples of mining technology that still exists is the Kamšt, a 13.6m waterwheel made of wood that was used to pump the water out of flooded mines from 1790 until 1948. It is about 1.5km southeast of Mestni trg.
Kamšt
The Julian Alps
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Laid out across the slopes encircling the valley are Idrija’s distinctive miners’ houses. Large wooden A-frames with cladding and dozens of windows, they…
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The mine is a ‘living museum’, allowing you to get a feel for the working conditions of mercury miners in Idrija. The entrance is the Anthony Shaft, built…
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This award-winning museum is housed in the hilltop Gewerkenegg Castle. The excellent collections, which deal with mercury, lace and local history (but,…
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The castle was built in the 1520s to serve as the administrative headquarters of the Idrija mine. This award-winning Municipal Museum is housed inside.
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A 3km trail called Pot ob Rakah follows the Idrijca River Canal from the Kamšt (an 18th-century waterwheel used by the mines) to Wild Lake, a tiny,…
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