The Gold Mine in Złoty Stok is one of the most fascinating places on the tourist map of Lower Silesia. It was here, in the heart of the Golden Mountains, that precious ore was mined for many years, bringing fame and wealth to this small town. Today, the former mine no longer serves its original purpose, but it has become an extraordinary tourist attraction combining education, adventure, and great entertainment. Visiting this place allows you to walk through underground tunnels, explore historic adits, visit an interactive museum, and even discover old methods of gold mining and processing.
The entire complex, however, is much more than just a mine. It also includes the Mining Village, filled with atmospheric buildings and interesting exhibitions, as well as numerous additional attractions for children and adults. Thanks to this, a visit to Złoty Stok becomes not only a journey deep underground but also a journey into the history and traditions of the region. It is a place that will appeal both to families with children and to history enthusiasts or lovers of unusual adventures.
Gold Mine in Złoty Stok – key information at a glance
Visiting time: around 1.5 hours (the mine itself) or 3-4 hours with additional attractions
Who is it for: families with children, history enthusiasts, and people looking for attractions with a real “wow effect”
Main attractions: underground adits, the only underground waterfall in Poland, a ride on the orange tram, shows, and legends
Character of the place: interactive and tourist-oriented, while still authentic
Additional attractions: medieval mining settlement, Ochre Adit, museum, gold panning
Is it worth visiting? Yes – it is one of the most interesting attractions in Lower Silesia
Location
The Gold Mine is located in the town of Złoty Stok, in Lower Silesia, right near the border with the Czech Republic. It is one of the most interesting places in the region, famous for its centuries-old mining traditions. Złoty Stok lies at the southern edge of the Golden Mountains, around 100 kilometres from Wrocław and 20 kilometres from Lądek-Zdrój. Its location at the crossroads of Polish and Czech cultures meant that the town attracted curious gold seekers, travellers, and merchants from various parts of Europe for centuries.
The Gold Mine is located on the northern edge of the town, surrounded by mountain slopes, forests, and natural rock formations. It is an excellent starting point for exploring the Eastern Sudetes, but it is also, in itself, one of the region’s greatest tourist attractions.
Getting there and parking
The easiest way to reach Złoty Stok is by car.
From Wrocław – 100 kilometres (around 1.5 hours).
From Katowice – take the A4 motorway to Nysa and then road no. 46. The journey takes around 2.5 hours, and the distance is just under 200 kilometres.
From the Czech Republic – the mine is located only a few minutes’ drive from the border, which is why many tourists visit from places such as Jeseník, Olomouc, or Brno.
There is a private parking area for visitors on site, located next to the entrance to the complex (by the Mining Village). Parking is free. For those travelling by public transport, buses to Złoty Stok run from Kłodzko, Nysa, and Paczków. The bus station is located about one kilometre from the mine, so the final part of the journey is best completed on foot.
Ticket prices and packages
The ticket offer at the Gold Mine is diverse and adapted to the needs of individual visitors, families with children, and organised groups. When you arrive, you can choose from several types of tickets. Single attraction tickets (allowing entry to one selected attraction) cost:
Gold Mine – regular ticket 58 PLN, reduced ticket 48 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Medieval Mining Settlement – regular ticket 42 PLN, reduced ticket 32 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Ochre Adit – regular ticket 31 PLN, reduced ticket 26 PLN, children under 4 enter free
However, if you are already travelling to Złoty Stok, I recommend taking advantage of everything the Gold Mine has to offer! You can choose combined tickets, which are also better value for your wallet. Available packages include:
Gold Ticket – Gold Mine + Mining Settlement + Ochre Adit – regular ticket 88 PLN, reduced ticket 68 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Silver Ticket – Gold Mine + Mining Settlement – regular ticket 75 PLN, reduced ticket 62 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Bronze Ticket – Gold Mine + Ochre Adit – regular ticket 69 PLN, reduced ticket 58 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Ochre Ticket – Mining Settlement + Ochre Adit – regular ticket 55 PLN, reduced ticket 43 PLN, children under 4 enter free
Special offers are available for organised groups, including educational workshops and activities for schools. The mine also attracts international visitors – tours are available in foreign languages, including English, German, and Czech. Check the Gold Mine Website.
Opening hours
The Gold Mine is open every day throughout the year, except for a few public holidays. During the summer season (April–October), visits take place from morning until evening, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. In winter, opening hours are slightly shorter – from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To make sure what the exact opening hours are on the day you plan to visit, it is best to check the information on the official website.
Access to the underground sections is available only with a guide, and tours start every several or several dozen minutes. During the peak season, it is worth purchasing tickets in advance, especially for weekends. Visiting all attractions takes around 4 hours.
Mining Village
Within the Gold Mine complex, there is a reconstruction of a medieval mining village that takes visitors back to the times when Złoty Stok was full of gold seekers and miners searching for precious ore. Here, you can see wooden cottages, craft workshops, and tools that were once used to extract and process gold.
The village hosts coin minting demonstrations, gold panning workshops, and interactive activities for the youngest visitors. It is a great educational attraction, showing what everyday life looked like for miners several hundred years ago. The entire site has been designed as an open-air museum, and in summer it often hosts festivals and historical events.
A walk through the mining village is not just a “dry walk”. It is worth mentioning right away that the guides throughout the entire complex are absolutely fantastic! Friendly, humorous, and able to spark visitors’ interest. When looking at old devices once used in mines, we can not only hear about them but also try many of them ourselves! If you did not know, for example, how a horse-powered treadmill (göpel) works, after your visit you will know it from your own experience. Besides being a history lesson, it is also a great lesson in physics!
One of the elements of the village is also the executioner’s house, where the executioner humorously explains his role. Visitors can also enter the House of Horrors, where many frightening curiosities await.
The Adit
One of the stops during the visit is the Ochre Adit. It is a tunnel over 130 metres long, created through the work of miners. Once inside, it is easy to understand where its name comes from – in many places, the walls display an explosion of colours in various shades of ochre!
The corridors of the adit are well lit and safe, while still preserving the authentic atmosphere of a mine. Guides talk both about the real history of mining and the legends that have accompanied this place for generations – and believe me, the Gold Mine in Złoty Stok has plenty of them! The adit is humid, and the designated paths are natural and covered with sediment, so do not plan your visit in brand-new white sneakers.
Along the way, you can learn a lot about old mining methods and techniques used for digging tunnels. These include the so-called fire-setting method, traces of which can still be seen on the walls of the corridors. An interesting point along the route is a flooded wooden shaft from centuries ago, from which a medieval system of wooden drainage pipes extends. In the adit, you can discover a lot about the elements that miners searched for in this region – and it turns out that gold was not the only treasure they desired.
The Ochre Adit is also home to a source of arsenic-iron water, which in 1914 was recognised as having healing properties, supporting wound healing and helping in cases of anaemia. Based on this discovery, plans were made to create a health resort near the adit, but these ambitions were never realised.
The Gold Mine
The entire Gold Mine complex is an enormous network of underground corridors, only a small part of which is open to visitors. In addition to the Gertruda Adit, visitors can explore, among others, the Black Adit, where they can see a unique 10-metre-high underground waterfall – the only one of its kind in Poland.
What else does the Gold Mine offer? Along the way, we can learn a lot about arsenic while visiting the Alchemist’s Laboratory. We will also visit the treasury, where we can try to lift a lead bar – it is lighter than gold, but still much heavier than many people expect.
We will meet the Ghost of Gertruda, who searches for help in the mine’s corridors, and we will also hear an intriguing legend about the Death Passage, which was supposedly a place of punishment for miners who dared to steal gold.
The Gold Mine also offers a unique attraction – an underground train that takes visitors back to the surface after completing the tour. Its route is 300 metres long, and the ride itself is a fun adventure.
You can also enjoy an additional attraction – the Titanic underground boat ride. It allows visitors to travel around 200 metres underground by boat, but this experience is not included in the basic ticket price (a 45-minute cruise costs 25 PLN).
Remember that the temperature inside the mine is around 7°C, so it is definitely worth bringing warm clothing for your visit.
Museum
An integral part of the complex is the Museum of Mining and the History of Złoty Stok. It houses a collection of mining tools, maps, documents, and objects connected with the former everyday life of the region’s inhabitants. Visitors can see how mining methods changed over the centuries – from primitive pickaxes to steam-powered machines.
The number of exhibits in the museum is truly impressive, and among them you can find, for example, the largest collection of mining irons in Europe (these are not the ones used for ironing clothes :)). Many of the exhibits were donated by current and former residents of Złoty Stok, for whom the Gold Mine remains an important part of local culture and community life.
That is why the exhibition includes not only typical mining objects, such as the already-mentioned mining irons or lamps, but also everyday items that complete the story of this unique town.
Museum of Warnings, Notices and Appeals
After finishing your visit, make sure to stop by another interesting place – the Museum of Warnings, Notices and Appeals. In two rooms, you will find a large collection of warning signs, mainly from the times of communist Poland (PRL).
Some of them will certainly be familiar from jokes and stories, but you will definitely discover something new as well!
Is it worth visiting?
The Gold Mine in Złoty Stok is one of the most interesting attractions in Lower Silesia and a must-see place on every traveller’s map. The combination of history, legends, education and great entertainment makes it a perfect destination both for families with children and for adults passionate about mining or simply curious about the world.
Underground tunnels, a unique waterfall, an open-air mining village and a richly equipped museum make it possible to spend several hours here or even an entire day. When combined with attractions in the surrounding area, a visit to Złoty Stok becomes a real adventure. If you are looking for a place that combines history, nature and emotions – the answer is simple: it is definitely worth visiting!
PS. If you are interested in geotourism and you are travelling to Złoty Stok from the direction of Wrocław, make sure to stop at Goethe’s Rock along the way – a unique geological site where you can search for rock crystals and expand your collection!
Frequently asked questions – Gold Mine in Złoty Stok:
Is the Gold Mine in Złoty Stok worth visiting?
Yes, it is one of the most interesting attractions in Lower Silesia. The visit combines history, legends and interactive elements, making it appealing to both adults and children.
How long does a visit to the Gold Mine take?
Visiting the mine itself takes about 1.5 hours. If you decide to explore additional attractions, such as the Ochre Adit or the Mining Village, the whole visit may take 3–4 hours.
What can you see in the Gold Mine?
During the visit, you can see underground tunnels, mining equipment, multimedia displays and the largest underground waterfall in Poland. An additional attraction is a ride on the orange underground train.
Is the Gold Mine suitable for children?
Yes, it is a great attraction for families. Children especially enjoy the interactive elements, legends, the opportunity to pan for gold and exploring the mining village.
Do you need to visit with a guide?
Yes, visits take place only with a guide in organised groups. Thanks to this, you can better understand the history of the place and see the interactive elements of the exhibition in action.
What are the ticket prices for the Gold Mine?
A standard ticket to the mine costs around PLN 58, but there are also combined tickets including additional attractions, which offer better value.
Is it worth buying a combined ticket?
Yes, especially if you have more time. Packages including the mine, the mining village and the adit allow you to discover the history of the place more fully and are more affordable than buying individual tickets.