Banské múzeum štôlňa Andrej

Useful Information

Location:	Banská cesta 803/31, 967 01 Kremnica, šachty Ludovika premises. (48.711086, 18.907033)
Open:	All year Mon-Fri 9, 11, 13, 15, Sat, Sun, Hol 13, 15. [2020]
Fee:	Adults EUR 6, Children (7-16) EUR 3, Children (4-6) free, Children (0-3) not allowed, Students EUR 3, Seniors EUR 3, Disabled EUR 3, Family (2+2) EUR 15. Groups (10+): Adults EUR 4, School Pupils EUR 2. [2020]
Classification:	Gold Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	D=60 min, L=610 m.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Banské múzeum štôlňa Andrej, Banská cesta 803/27, 96701 Kremnica, Tel: +421-45-674-3144, Cell: +421-903-393-146. E-mail: Informačné centrum mesta Kremnica (Information Centre of the Town Kremnica), Zuzana Tileschová, Štefánikovo námestie 35/44, 967 01 Kremnica, Tel: +421-456-742-856, Tel: +421-456-782-780, Tel: +421-908-726-622. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

13th century	mining started.
1328	Karol Róbert granted the settlement Cremnychbana with mining and minting privileges.
1970	end of underground mining.
1982	Andrej exploration tunnel built.
1992	end of opencast mining.
2000	last mine closed.
2007	beginning of restoration by volunteers lead by Ing. Dušan Roob.
AUG-2008	show mine opened to the public.

Geology

Description

Banské múzeum štôlňa Andrej is an underground mine tour of the Andrej adit. The tunnel was restored and is now an underground mining museum. It is located in Kremnica, a town in the Kremnické vrchy mountains in central Slovakia. Kremnica is also called the Golden Town, because the gold was not only mined but also minted into gold coins. It was one of the richest towns of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Gold was discovered early in the area, and at first it was panned in creeks. The the gold veins were discovered and the mining started with open cast mining in the 13th century. At a certain depth the underground mining started. The digging of furrows, later the slag heaps from the underground mining changed the landscape profoundly. Several technical structures are today protected as technical monuments, like the three adits which drained the mines or the klopačka, a bell tower which called the miners to work. The mining continued until the late 20th century. First the underground mining ceased, then the last open cast mines. After some cleanup work mining ended in 2000.

But the Kremnica Gold company has not given up the idea of reviving the gold left in the mountain. The Andrej štôlňa was an attempt to revive mining and was built in 1982, but without success. It is used because it was rater easy to make this relatively young tunnel safe for visitors. According to estimates the area still contains 30 tons of gold, of which about 20 tons are extractable. And with the massive increase in the gold price it becomes even more profitable. The company was creating a new mining plan which was not supported by Kremnica inhabitants and town council. The museum was a way to make the mining more transparent to the locals. It was financed by the company and is still operated by them.

The visit requires warm clothes and sturdy boots. Visitors are equipped with helmet, headlamp, and a special coat. Parts of the tunnel are not very well lit.