Around the Mining Town

Few people today would think that silver was once mined near České Budějovice. The town of Rudolfov and its close surroundings were where the silver mines were located.

Written records of silver mining in the area date back to 1385, but the actual mines were probably even older. Intensive mining did not start until the mid- 16th century. The roughly sixty years of productive mining had a massive impact on the development of the whole area. At its time, Rudolfov was among the most important mining sites in Bohemia. The mining period in Rudolfov ended with an estate uprising and then the Thirty Years’ War.

If you want to learn more about the mining history in Rudolfov, head for the new information trail “Around the Mining Town”. It has replaced the original trail “Rudolf’s Town”, which followed the same route from 1990 but required renovation due to weathering and time. As the name of the trail suggests, it focuses on mining. Although the trail is monothematic, it is very engaging and provides a lot of interesting facts from various disciplines.

Its thirteen stations with information panels featuring period illustrations will give you a comprehensive overview of the onset of mining at Rudolfov, its heyday and decline. The route is about 5 km long, starts and ends in Rudolfov, and is marked with yellow trail signs. It is advisable to take the trail in the direction starting at the church in Rudolfov via Mrhal Pond and back to Rudolfov (neighborhood known as Amerika). The narrative of the information panels follows this direction.

Stations of the information trail Around the Mining Town:

1. Rudolfov – by the church. About the mining town phenomenon and what always goes with it. About the history of the local church.
2. Rudolfov – by the post office. About the history and its place in Bohemia.
3. Rudolfov – by the mining museum. About the local ore district, its importance and major sights.
4. Rudolfov – Hornická Street. About mines, miners and mining companies.
5. Rudolfov – bank of Královský fishpond. About the construction development of the mining town.
6. Rudolfov – Lesní Street – edge of town. About the mining decline and causes of the end of the mining town.
7. Forest track to Mrhal – former quarry. About remnants of mining activity all around Rudolfov, mine ponds and the quarry.
8. Forest track to Mrhal. About the little-known mining work – water canal to Třešeň mine.
9. Mrhal Pond embankment. About Mrhal Pond, the main water reservoir for the Rudolfov mines.
10. Forest track to Rudolfov. About the sophisticated work of the Common Canal in the forests around Rudolfov.
11. Forest edge over Rudolfov. About the natural curiosities of Děkanský Forest.
12. Rudolfov – edge of town – Lustenek. About the Lustenek manor, a forgotten sight of the mining town.
13. Rudolfov – Amerika. About the hard fate of the Rudolfov mining town after the end of the mining era.