Mining landscape around Horní Blatná

Today, we would like to invite you on a trip through a unique mining landscape that, thanks to its rich history, has earned a place on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Our starting point for this journey is the town of Horní Blatná.

You can conveniently reach Horní Blatná by car, and parking is usually not a problem. However, we prefer to take the train for our mountain trip. The station is located just a short distance from the town center, on its southwestern edge. From the station, we head uphill and immediately encounter our first local attraction. Horní Blatná features several religious sites, highlighting the town's historical significance. The first of these is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, surrounded by a cemetery, which bears a memorial plaque referring to Adalbert Hahn. Known as the Krušnohorský Faust, Hahn was a figure shrouded in mystery and attributed with various exceptional, almost supernatural abilities. For those interested in learning more about Adalbert Hahn, I recommend the book by Otakar Bořík. Among other things, it reveals that Hahn is buried right here, in the Chapel of the Holy Cross. And now, we continue our journey.

The square in Horní Blatná is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, as is the dominant church standing in its center. Next to the church, there are several information boards where you can learn about the town's history and present. Horní Blatná was founded with a precise checkerboard layout, the square is rectangular, and the orderly arrangement of buildings is striking. No haphazard constructions here—everything follows a plan. Some facades, however, could use a bit of care, which slightly mars the overall impression. In addition to the municipal office, the square also hosts a cinema and a charming general store. If the short trip from the station has tired you, rest assured that the town square offers several restaurants. It's ideal for tourists. But since we still feel energetic, we move on.

Our next destination is the famous Wolf Pits. On our way there, we come across the local museum—our curiosity compels us to take a look inside. If you're interested in the history of tin mining in Horní Blatná and the surrounding area, pay a visit. The museum houses a collection of minerals, mining tools, and exhibits of tinware historically produced in Horní Blatná. You can also learn about the famous local bard Hans Soph. There's a large-scale model of Horní Blatná, giving you a good aerial view. But now we head onward to the pits.

And our path crosses another attraction. It's somewhat quirky but has become very popular lately. There's a giant wooden bench you can climb on, take in the view, or take photos. People of all ages, both locals and tourists, scramble up and down. If you want some amusement, sit in the grass for a while and watch. The clambering up and daring jumps down can sometimes be quite precarious. The bench is aptly named Lawrence's Bench.

We're now under Blatenský Hill and heading up through the Wolf Pits. The trail, recently renovated, is quite manageable. Along the way, we're treated to beautiful views of the former Wolfgang mine site, which resulted in the creation of the Wolf and Ice Pits. It's said that snow remains at the bottom of the pit year-round. Whether this is true is for you to find out. But here's an interesting fact: in 1813, ice from these pits was used to treat wounded soldiers in the Battle of Leipzig. Having seen the pits, we now head to the lookout tower.

The tower stands on Blatenský Hill (1043 m above sea level) and is accessible most of the year. Built in 1913, the tower is sometimes called Zitina, named after the Austrian Archduchess Zita. Once, a beautiful and popular hotel stood at the summit, to which the tower belonged. Alas, the hotel was handed over to border guards after the war, and they took such good care of it that it had to be demolished. Today, at least there's a refreshment stand. After the climb, it's a welcome sight.

We head back to Horní Blatná via a different route, following the yellow tourist trail. If anyone still has energy and craves more exploration, numerous paths branch out from the summit's junction. One of them is named Želená—an homage to the mining heritage. Yet, instead of another walk, we're tempted to relax in one of the local pubs, and we need to catch the train! On our way, we encounter more interesting sights—the Blatenský water channel, various subsidence areas from mining activities, and even Černé Lake. Keep it a secret, but in winter, it's a great spot for ice swimming!

Horní Blatná has so much to offer that one visit is certainly not enough. And rest assured, we'll be heading back soon!

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