Idrija Field Trip

Tags the original miners used as they went down into the mine.

Original entrance

Heading Down

 One of the many blessings of being stationed overseas is that field trips for Luke mean field trips for Mom too. Yesterday, I got to chaperon a day trip to Idrija, Slovenia.  We started the day visiting one of the oldest mines in Europe where mercury was mined for 500 years after being found in 1508. 
We started the tour with a video explaining the process and history of Idrija, but I must confess I was anxious to get under ground. 







After the video, we donned our jackets and hard hats and entered through the original entrance.  You will see the word srecno over the entrance...this means Good Luck.  We headed into the main shaft, Anthony's Main Road and into the mine.





After the main hallway, we entered a room with a chapel where the miners would stop and pray.  

Chapel inside the mine where the miners stopped to pray before going further down into the mine.

While inside, we learned that the miners mined the cinnabar a red rock out of the mine and then heated it up to burn off the mercury.  

Some of the mercury also came right out of the shale and this was mined as well.  I couldn't help but think about the 7 dwarfs as I saw all of the rails that the mining cars used to use to get the heavy cinnabar out of the mine with.  After we climbed the 100 steps out of the mine, (glad that we didn't have to use 1000 steps like the original miners did), we headed to the local gostilna. For lunch we we had zlikrofi,  a dumpling with potato filling, famous in this part of Idrija.  After lunch we headed up the hill to visit a traditional miner's home.  

An original Idrija miner's home.

These homes would usually be occupied by 3 local mining families.  Idrija is speckled with these homes.  We then went "across town" to the castle, where we got to see many samples of cinnabar and mercury as well as instruments used in mining.  There was also an amazing area dedicated to the craft Idrija is known for, lace making.  

The bobbins tatting Idrija lace.

When miners flocked from across Europe to Idrija to become miners, their wives brought their talents with them.  Lace making from around Europe was perfected in the area.  Idrija lace is one of the traditional Slovenian gifts and the art of tatting continues to be handed down through the generations. 

Luke's class