The end of the black Gold
While I had a second breakfast on the train from Munich to Salzburg three chaps from Upper Bavaria were having their second beer. It turned out that they were on their way to Ostrawa, Czech Republic. I knew that such a place existed, but not where and what it was about. I looked it up. What I saw intrigued me. So there was another change in my planned itinerary. From Bad Ischl I took the train back to Attnang-Puchheim, then a rail jet to Vienna, and from there the Eurocity to Warzawa, which passes through Ostrawa.
Departure from Bad Ischl
Wien Hauptbahnhof is one of the few newly built stations which, in my view, were actually built for the need of a traveler. There are several entrances to the platforms, everything is well sign posted and they have kept a good balance between the commerce and the fact that somebody actually needs some space to walk to his train. They even serve some decent food there. There was a line at Leberkäs Bepi. Leberkäs is a kind of Bavarian/Austrian treat for the carnivore. I got a Leberkäs sandwich and went to the platform to wait for the train.
Platforms, Wien Hauptbahnhof
You would expect that a train running between such important towns like Vienna, Warsaw and on the way Katowice would see a lot of passengers. However, it had only one first class and three second class carriages. I shared a compartment for 6 with a middle aged woman in black. Her only attribute of color were her finger nails. They were about 3 cm longer than the fingers, alternating pink and an intricate design on a black background. I was looking for a moment that she would fall asleep to take a picture but then I fell asleep first.
Eurocity to Warsaw entering the platform in Wien
I had promised to send the picture to my daughters for inspiration, but then she left the train in a minor Czech countryside station. But this minor town must be the home of this exceptional fingernail artist because said woman in black was replaced by two others, very well made up, both with the same type of fingernail design. Now I wanted to quickly take my chance as long as they were there and just pressed the button of the camera several times out of my lap. There was a bit of nervous laughter and chat in Czech, which is my favorite language, and they left. From the door one of the girls asked me to delete the pictures. Which I did after I complimented her for her fantastic finger nails. This was quite embarrassing. My camera does not make any sound and there is no way she could have heard or seen the picture been taken. Well, the result was not very good any way. What do I learn from that is to better ask next time.
Engine roundhouse in Breclaw, Czech Republic
České dráhy for me is where real railroading starts. There are well maintained stations with a guard who actually does his work instead of going into hiding. Most of the stations do not have any underpass and access to the platform is across the tracks. The platforms are very narrow and low. So the guard has quite some responsibility watching out that nobody is run over. Or the average Czech has not lost the awareness that a 2000 ton goods train will not stop for him. Apart from that every station still has many tracks where slower trains can be sidelined to let the faster ones pass, there are facilities for goods handling and interesting cylindrical bicycle sheds. Major stations still have preserved their engine sheds, many complete with roundhouse and turntable, where surplus engines wait for their next duty. On route there was quite some line maintenance. Since they still have preserved their points our train then moved to the other track, blew the horn several times and passed. In Germany or the Netherlands, that would have been a reason to close the line…. with the well known unpleasant consequences for the travelers.
Access to and platforms typical in Czech Republic
After the girls had left the compartment immediately filled with a group of young people with what looked like a very alternative teacher. They were all dressed like they would go to a rock concert. They did not take any notice of the old man in his corner. Or, the two girls who had left, had warned them of this pervert who had tried to take their picture.
Arrival in Ostrava Hlavni Nadrazi
Anyway, I arrived more or less in time at the enormous Ostrawa Hlavni Nadrazi station. Hotel Rada is closeby. It was the only one I could find which was at a reasonable price. Since Ostrawa is partially hosting the ice hockey world championship they have unscrupulously increased their prices. After booking they wanted to have my details, then sent me a code for getting into the building and another for opening key box number 13. Fortunately there still was a friendly lady who helped me figuring out how to enter the numbers at the key box. The little wheel had very tiny numbers which were difficult to read. My room is on the 4th floor. No elevator. There is not much more than a bed and a table, but it has got a bathroom. For once, no television!
Hotel Rada
It is quite a long walk to the center of town. If you can find a center. Ostrawa has some pockets with very beautiful art deco and classicist buildings from the time before the first world war. I also discover some interesting architecture which must have been built between and after the world wars. And then there are lots of faceless flats built in communist times, the lawns are unkempt, and there are lots of empty spaces which serve as parking lots. It is always a sign that a town has a problem if there is a surplus of empty yards for cars.
Typical street corner in the old parts of town
Czech Republic did not join the Euro Zone. I look around but cannot find a cash machine. I curse myself that I did not go back to the station. Since I do not arrive find a real business center of town the chances to find one are low. Eventually I check Google maps, and indeed, it indicates the location of the machines. There is one in front of me, opposite a park.
The Henry mine in the town center of Ostrava
The park eventually turns out to be a coal mine in the middle of the town. An enormous rusty mining rig reaches towards the sky. There is a vast abandoned building, which must have been a coal wash or sorting facility. It is fenced off with a board-fence covered in graffiti. Some panels are loose, probably by people who wanted to take a look.
Street in Ostrava with one of the typical trams
There are lots of tram and trolley lines in Ostrawa but I don’t see ticket machines. I ask the guy waiting in line behind me while I get money from the machine where you buy the tickets. He looks like an educated person, but does not understand any English. Next I ask in a little shop but the woman understands even less. Eventually I find a ticket machine next to a tram stop, but it is out of order.
In the night life district of Ostrava
Next I scan the horizon for a restaurant. The center of Ostrawa seems to be a narrow cobbled street full of pubs. No restaurant, all broadcast icehockey on a big screen and make a lot of noise. Why is sports always coming with a lot of noise? Eventually I find out that restaurants seem to hide behind old doors a couple of steps up, which makes them appear to be closed. I try one and it opens to a nice restaurant where only one table is occupied. The restaurant is called Moravská chalupa. The waitress not only speaks perfect English but they also have translated their menu into English. I have an excellent garlic soup, pork sirloin and two half liter of the local beer for about 25 €. I pay in Czech Crowns, but they also would have taken €.
Town hall and tower of 1926
The town hall, built in 1926 has an enormous clock tower. Like some other buildings the facade is decorated with 4 statues. Many other works of socialist inspired art is in the parks. They also have an arts exhibition hall. The Mercure hotel in the center is one of these old big charming hotels. The hotel Elektra, also in a big 20th century building, has seen better times.
The old part of town comes to an end at a magnificent building which offers gate-like passages into the court behind. Across the street is a large, modern glass facade, a shopping mall. It replaced a former industrial site called Karolina. Nova Karolina not only is a shopping mall, it is also where you find restaurants and cinemas. Maybe that is the reason why the nice old parts of town are so quiet.
Eventually I even find a ticket machine at a bus stop and manage to book a public transport day ticket. They have a kind of chip card here, which can be loaded with money for individual trips or time passes. I am very proud of myself that my knowledge of Czeck emproved so quickly that I was able to get that ticket…..
Bus stop with ticket machine
From all those magnificent buildings you can see that Ostrawa had a very wealthy past. It also might have prospects for the future. But at the moment it is clear that they have a problem here. There are lots of poor people in the streets. They come together at the many kiosks for a cheap meal or a drink. The pavement has deep potholes. The lawns needs mowing. There are lots of dilapidated buildings and empty spaces looking for a new purpose.
Dolni Viscovice, view from the top of blast furnace 1 towards furnaces 4 and 6
On the instigation of the Archbishop and Archduke Rudolf of Habsburg the first ever coke blast furnace in the Habsburg Monarchy was put into operation in Viscovice, a southern suburb of Ostrava, in 1831. The site was well chosen: In the area of Ostrava coal seams are close to the surface. In 1852 a coal mine was established at the site. It began producing in 1857. In 1867 there was an explosion which cost the life of 54 miners.
View from the top of blast furnace 1 towards the coal mine and the coking plant in the foreground
There were other coal mines in town: The Anselm mine made use of the fact that the coal seams came right to the surface at Landek mountain, and the Henry mine is the one I saw right in the middle of town.
View of the coal washing facility
Over the years the site at Dolni Viscovice was constantly improved. It had the unique advantage that the coal mine, the coking plant and the blast furnaces were at the same location. Emperor Franz Josef I visited the mine in 1880 and in 1906.
The gasholder and blast furnace number 4
In 1924 an enormous gasholder for blast furnace gas with a capacity of 104.000 m3 was built. With it came the first ever electrical gas purification plant. For the opening ceremony with the Czech president Masaryk a special viewing platform was built. On a photo he can be seen with the main shareholder, the Austrian Baron Eugen Rothschild.
The rebuilt gasholder, water tower and gas pipes towards the other parts of heavy industry in Viscovice
During the German occupation the iron works had to function for the german war machine. The result were about 400 victims under the employees. In 1945 a Russian 120 kg bomb hit the gas holder but did not explode. It was only discovered upon maintenance work in 1970 and had to be removed with the help of divers since the lower part of the gasholder contains water. Imagine the fireworks when it would have exploded during those 25 years midst all this furnace gas and surrounded by all the molten steel and burning coal.
Cowpers to heat up furnace gas
In 1946 the Viscovice plant was nationalized. The plant was constantly enlarged and improved until in 1962 blast furnace number 6 was put in operation. In 1982-1988 blast furnace number 1 was completely rebuilt. It stayed in service until 1998. The last tapping took place on Sunday, September 7th at 8.30. Before the coke plant had closed in August and blast furnace number 4 in July.
The lifts to fill the furnaces from the top
In 2002 the government declared the area of Dolni Viscovice a national heritage site. A long process to find a concept of further use started. They now are busy applying for UNESCO world heritage status.
Control room of the gas furnace number 1
So that was what I read when I met the icehockey fans on the train from Munich to Salzburg. I also found out that there is a possibility to visit the plant on guided tours. I even managed to book a blast furnace tour online for the morning at 10 am. I had to copy/paste part of the text into Google translate, since the English version of the website does not translate completely.
Koliba car to transport slag
But first of all in the morning I need some breakfast. My hotel does not offer such a thing. I look at Google but most of the places in my surroundings open later. There is a cafe in the station, so I decide to walk that way. Only about half a block from my hotel I find the open door of a restaurant. I walk inside and ask the girl if they offer any breakfast. She doesn’t understand any English. I try it with Google translate. She answers by keeping repeating the name Lukasz. Eventually Lukasz arrives. He speaks perfect English. And, yes, there is breakfast. After a very short time I get an excellent and huge breakfast. One of the little positive surprises the traveler gets. I will go there again tomorrow morning. The next story is going to start with that breakfast.
Some impressions from the top of blast furnace 1
The public transport network in Ostrawa is excellent. There are tram lines, trolley buses and electric buses with frequent departures. With the proud knowledge of having my day pass in my pocket I walk to the tram stop and take tram number 1. But after I have boarded there is the enormous blast of an alarm. Hastily I swipe my pass across a reader, which seems to be ignored by everybody else. The reader gives a green OK sign, the alarm stops, I sit down. After a couple of stops I am assured that the alarm was not for me, but it always sounds when the door closes. I still miss the stop of Dolni Viscovice and have to go back one stop on another tram.
View into the abyss of blast furnace 1
The lower part of blast furnace 1 with the blowers for blowing in gas and one of the exit holes for drawing slag
The vast, rusty brown industrial site of Dolni Viscovice is visible from far away. In an architectural miracle they have transformed the riveted gasholder of 1926 into a multi purpose event hall for 1500 people, a cafe and a welcome and information center. Two big buildings are turned into Musea. The friendly lady at the reception tells me that visiting both will take around 6 hours. There is also a little arts gallery. Blast furnace number 1 is visited on the tour I have booked. They have put a kind of crown on top of it which houses a cafe.
The tour guide is young girl. She talks in Czech. I am the only foreigner. For strangers like me they provide an audio guide but I do not manage to get it working. On the tour the working of the blast furnace is explained. You get the chance to look into the furnace from above and walk into it at the bottom.
The mine rig
From the top you get a wide view of the Dolni Viscovice plant, Ostrava town and the surroundinbg countryside. In a blast furnace, molten pig iron is discharged regularly in the lowest zone and slag in the zone above. The molten pig iron was transported for processing to other steel plants by crossing the town in 130 ton, 12 axle so called torpedo cars at a speed of 20 km/h. Here they call them Veronica. The hot slag was transported in what they call here a “koliba”, a kind of huge pot on wheels (in Czech, a koliba is a traditional pub). The slag was dumped on heaps outside town. One of the former slag heaps, which are now overgrown with vegetation, still has a temperature of 1500 degrees in the core.
Winch for operation of the mine rig
Next to blast furnace number 1, two others, number 4 and 6, and the gas purifier are still there. You can walk around, but they are fenced off to prevent people from getting ideas.
The installation and car for filling and flushing in the coking plant
Behind the furnaces is the coking plant. It can be visited on a separate tour, but that tour was not available on my day. The generator house and the mining rig of the coal mine were also closed. I got a chance to have a look at the winch, which is in the entrance to a hall which was converted to a climbing center. Climbers have no need in communication with others. They did not talk to me. The rig brought the miners into the mine and the coal out. The mine shaft is 1022 m deep.
The villa of the director
The director of the works resided in Villa Hlubina, the name of the mine. The owners were residing at Viscovice castle, a nice mansion of 1884 which is surrounded by still active heavy industry.
The palais built for the owners
Dolni Viscovice is an impressive site to visit. The organisation of the tours is perfect. The cafe in the gasholder is nice and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. The decision to declare the site a national heritage and preserve it was taken only a few years after it actually closed. Therefore it is a pity that they nevertheless have removed quite a lot of the secondary infrastructure necessary for such a plant. Most of the bunkers are gone. The railway lines and the pavement has been torn out. You can see that a lot of the pipes were cut. I hope they find a good way to show what is left.
The palais is surrounded by more heavy industry
At the other end of town they have turned the Anselm mine into a museum surrounded by a nice park. Opened in 1782 the mine is the oldest in the Ostrawa area. After it was closed in the 1990ies it was turned into a museum. They actually offer a ride down into the mine. Somebody, who behaves like what the visitors expect to be the behavior of a miner, gives explanations. In fact, I think his explanations of the development of mining techniques and machinery are pretty good. Of course I didn’t understand, since it was all in Czech. They have got an audio guide here too, and its handling was more designed for somebody like me. So I got most of what he was talking about.
About 30 years ago all coal mining in the area stopped. Parts of Ostrava have settled by more than 30 m because of the coal mines. There still is a hard coal mine at Paskow not far from Oatrava. Ostrava also has a remaining steel works outside town. Coal mining and steel production require a lot of manpower. Closing down all the mining activities and most of the steel works tossed Ostrava in a big crises. The town has to reinvent itself. I think they are doing a good job, but they are not finished. However, there definitely already is one advantage, which was noticed by visitors and published on the internet: the air is much better now.
The show-tunnels of the Anselm main
Another 3170 km to Kars.
Mine train operated with a air-pressure driven engine
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