Špania Dolina

Copper was mined at Špania Dolina from the middle ages and the village that served the workings is stacked up the valley sides in timber and stone houses, with a fortified church on a shelf above reached by a long covered wooden staircase. The mine spoil heaps are still visible on the slopes and a marked mining trail runs through them. The village also has a long tradition of bobbin lace, made by the miners' families.

History

Mining tools found here have been dated to 2000-1700 BC, and copper from the valley has been identified in Bronze Age objects from the Balkans and the Middle East. The village itself is first recorded in 1254; the House of Fugger funded a laboratory of the alchemist Paracelsus here, a bobbin lace school opened in 1883 and the copper mines closed in 1888 (Wikipedia, Špania Dolina).

Highlights

• The covered staircase - a long run of roofed wooden steps up to the church.
• The fortified church - the walled church on its shelf above the village.
• The mining trail - a marked route through spoil heaps and workings.
• The bobbin lace - the craft the mining families developed, still practised.

When to go

May to October is the walking season, with autumn colour in the valley the best of the year. Winter access up the valley road is possible but the trails are icy. The museum keeps limited hours.

Things to know

The mining museum is small and opens irregularly. The village is steep and parking is very limited. There is little food available.

Nearby

Banska Bystrica is south, and the Low Tatras are east.

Key facts