In Złotoryja, the history of gold meets different layers of the city’s past: at the Muzeum Złota, in the Aurelia Mine and at the International Gold Panning Championships, held annually. The city also has a 13th-century church, medieval fortifications and historic townhouses. You can shape your visit around your interests in mining, the city’s history or an event date.

Gold history in the walls and the mine

The Muzeum Złota is housed in a historic building dating from the second half of the 17th century. The building is integrated into the city’s defensive walls, placing the museum and fortifications side by side. The building’s location itself reflects the connection between the theme of gold and the city’s history.

The Aurelia Mine has an underground tourist route about 100 metres long. Check current seasonal access before your visit. Another trace of mining lies beneath Góra św. Mikołaja: fragments of the Aurelia Mine’s hoisting shaft are located there. The mine’s origins date back to the mid-17th century. The route and the shaft fragments offer different perspectives on the history of mining; this does not imply that they are connected by a visitor route.

Old town, fortifications and gold panning

The church pw. Narodzenia Najświętszej Maryi Panny dates from the 13th century. Baszta Kowalska is one of the city’s best-preserved medieval structures. Historic townhouses line the Rynek, and fragments of medieval defensive walls also remain in the old town. Together, these places represent different aspects of the cityscape: religious architecture, fortifications and civic buildings.

Gold panning in Złotoryja is more than just a topic in the history of mining. The International Gold Panning Championships are held here every year; the competition has been running since 1993 and attracts participants from all over the world. If you would like to plan your trip around the competition, check the event dates when making your plans.

Additional perspectives in the wider destination of Goldberg In Schlesien

In the wider destination of Goldberg In Schlesien, the landscape broadens the view of Złotoryja: the city is surrounded by the Kaczawskie foothills. They are part of the Land of Extinct Volcanoes and give the surrounding area distinctive geological features. To see the city from another perspective, visitors can also walk along the defensive walls and through the plantings created in place of the former moat. These areas are often home to trees more than 100 years old.

The wider destination’s gold theme also includes the “Górnictwo złota” exhibition at the Muzeum Złota. It explores the history of gold mining and gold extraction in Złotoryja and the surrounding area. Exhibits include mining tools, gold pans, various forms of gold and gold-like minerals such as “fool’s gold”.

SOWA, a local science centre in Złotoryja, offers a different way to explore. Its approach focuses on independent searching, discovery and experimentation. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for an individual visit. Visitors can go to SOWA from Tuesday to Saturday, except on public holidays; check current opening hours when planning your visit.

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary offers another architectural perspective: it features Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements, and a mysterious well inside. Those interested in the old town will also find, in the wider destination of Goldberg In Schlesien, restored historic tenement houses and a preserved medieval street layout as further aspects of the city’s history.

Discover more destinations: Sędziszowa, Wojcieszów, Nowy Kościół, Schönau An Der Katzbach, Biegoszów.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Złotoryjski.