Dědičná štola císaře Josefa II., Main adit level in Trhové Dušníky, Czech Republic.
The Joseph II Heritage Gallery is an underground drainage tunnel in the mining region of Březové Hory that extends 21,906 meters through the bedrock. The system connects multiple mine shafts and continues to channel water away from the mining area.
Construction began in 1789 to drain water from silver and lead mines, with the tunnel breaking through between two mines in 1859. This drainage system enabled miners to extract ore from deeper levels and expand operations in the region.
The gallery shows engineering methods that miners developed to control water in underground operations. Visitors can observe how the tunnel construction made deep mining possible and shaped the region's mining heritage.
The tunnel runs between 57 and 101 meters below ground with a gentle downward slope throughout its length. Visitors should expect the underground environment to be consistently cool and passages to be narrow in places.
Water still flows through the tunnel today and is channeled by the system into the Litavka River. This ongoing drainage demonstrates how effective the original engineering was and how it continues to serve its purpose after centuries.
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