Kamšt, Wooden water pump mechanism in Idrija, Slovenia.

The Kamšt is a wooden water pump built in 1790 with a large wheel roughly 14 meters across, designed to lift water out of the mercury mines. The mechanism works by having the wheel turn in the water flow, then using that rotation to push water upward through a pipe system.

Built in 1790, the Kamšt drew water from the Jožef shaft using a 13.6-metre wooden wheel, initially lifting from 235 metres and later from 283 metres. It ran until 1953, a span of 163 years, driven by water from the Rake canal, which had been dug around 1600.

The structure reflects how mining shaped daily life and identity in Idrija for generations of workers and their families. Walking around it, you understand how this industry was central to how people lived and worked here.

The site is located in central Idrija and is easily accessible on foot, though visiting on weekdays often gives you more space to explore without crowds. Wear good walking shoes since the ground around this old structure can be uneven and slippery.

The wheel needed 13 seconds for a single revolution and delivered 75 to 100 horsepower. Its driving water arrived through the Rake canal, a 3.5 km channel dug around 1600, long before the pump itself was built in 1790.