About The Kamst Waterwheel In Idrija
For centuries, the town of Idrija in western Slovenia was famous for its mercury mines. Now closed and preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the mines provided a livelihood to generations of local residents. One of the most interesting examples of mining technology that still exists in Idrija is the Kamst, an impressive waterwheel made of wood in 1790 to pump the water out of flooded mineshafts below. With a diameter of 13,6 meters, it is the largest preserved wooden waterwheel of its kind Europe. It operated uninterrupted for 158 years until 1948. The wheel made 4 or 5 turns in a minute, and the pumps had a pumping capacity of approximately 300 litres of pit water per minute from a depth of almost 300 metres below the surface.
The Idrija mercury mines were one of the most modern and continuously followed the latest technical achievements of the time. The pumping of pit water holds a very important place in mining and technology, so in the late 16th century, they decided to built a dam on the Idrijca River above the Wild Lake and a three-and-a-half-kilometre-long water channel named Rake to fed the kamst waterwheels in the town. Today, the dam near Kobila on the Idrijca River and the 400-year-old Rake water channel continue to provide inflowing water for the needs of Idrija’s hydro power plant.
The Kamst waterwheel stands on its original location in a large stone building on the western outskirts of town. On display there are also five cars and four locomotives for transporting ore, including the two oldest preserved electric locomotives in Slovenia.
The Kamst is open daily from 9.00 to 16.00. The entrance fee is €3 for adults, €2 for students and children.
Kamst Waterwheel Pictures
6 high-resolution photos to inspire you to visit the Kamst waterwheel!
All the photos below are from the Media library of I Feel Slovenia
The Kamst waterwheel. (Image by Robert Zabukovec)
With a diameter of 13,6 meters, the Kamst is the largest preserved wooden waterwheel of its kind Europe. (Image by Dunja Wedam)
The Kamst waterwheel was built in 1790 and operated uninterrupted for 158 years until 1948. (Image by Samo Trebizan)
On the western outskirts of Idrija is a large stone building containing the Kamst, (Image by Dunja Wedam)
Another photo of a large stone building containing the Kamst. (Image by Samo Trebizan)
You also get to see some of the trains/engines used in the mines. (Image by Dunja Wedam)
Location of The Kamst Waterwheel In Idrija on the map
Address: Vodnikova ulica 25, 5280 Idrija, Slovenija
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 45.998778, 14.032526
GPS coordinates: 45° 59′ 55.6008” N 14° 1′ 57.0936” E
Traditional region: Littoral (Slovene: Primorska)
Statistical region: Gorizia
Municipality: Idrija
Idrija is a lovely small town with a population of just under 6,000 in western Slovenia that lies at the base of a valley, amid green hills and is crossed by the Idrijca river. It has a typical central-European architecture and you can see a strong influence of the Austro-Hungarian empire, especially in the town's main buildings. Today, Idrija is best known for three things: a mercury mine (the reason for Idrija's spot on UNESCO's World Heritage list), intricate locally made lace and zlikrofi (a traditional Slovenian dish from Idrija). |
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Overall Rating: The history of mining in Idrija dates back to 1490. Until the First World War Idrija's Mercury Mine was one of the best technically equipped mines in Europe. In 1986 the decision was made to close the mine. Today, visitors can tour a portion of the closed mine, called Anthony's Shaft, and learn about the difficult conditions endured by the mercury miners from the end of the 15th century till the end of the 20th century. |
Overall Rating: The Gewerkenegg Castle stands atop a small hill on the western edge of the small mining town of Idrija in western Slovenia. It was built between 1522 and 1533 to serve as the administrative headquarters of Idrija's mercury mine. Today, the castle houses the award-winning Idrija Municipal Museum featuring the excellent collections which deal with mercury, lace and Idrija's history.. |
Overall Rating: One of the most interesting examples of mining technology that still exists in Idrija is the Kamst, an impressive waterwheel made of wood in 1790 to pump the water out of flooded mineshafts below. With a diameter of 13,6 meters, it is the largest preserved wooden waterwheel in Europe. It operated uninterrupted for 158 years until 1948. It stands on its original location in a stone building on the western outskirts of town. |
Overall Rating: The Idrija Lace School is a recognized and valued institution among professional circles in Europe. It offers quality education for students and adults in lace-making, maintains and develops this rich treasury of knowledge, and consequently enhances the quality of the lace produced in Idrija. In the school, there's a showroom where visitors can see the remarkable pieces made by students of the school. There's also a small shop with items for purchase. |
Overall Rating: The history of Idrija's days as a mining town is apparent in the numerous sights in the town and its surroundings. One such very interesting sight to visit, representing the former way of life of miners' families, is the 18th-century Miner's House, or Rudarska Hisa as it is called in Slovene. It stands in the Bazoviska street on a slope facing the town below, not far from Idrija's town centre. |
Overall Rating: The Rake water channel in Idrija was built at the end of the 16th century to support the mercury mine operations. Initially, the water channel was wooden, but in the second half of the 18th century it was enclosed with stone. Along the water channel, there's a two-and-a-half-kilometre-long nature learning path unveiling Idrija's treasures of geology, flora and cultural history.. |
The Idrija Municipal Apiary stands behind the Church of the Holy Trinity, only a short walk from the center of Idrija. This highly crafted and extremely well executed and painted apiary is one of the most important structures of Slovene beekeeping. It was built in 1925 and completely renovated in 2013. |
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Overall Rating: Wild Lake or Divje Jezero as it is called in Slovene is a very unique and mysterious karstic lake located in Idrijski Log near the town of Idrija in western Slovenia. Since 1967, the lake has been protected as a natural monument of national significance of Slovenia. In 1972, the area of the lake was arranged into the first Slovenian outdoor museum in nature. In 1997 divers descended to 170 meters (558 feet), yet did not reach the bottom. |
| The accommodation options in Idrija can be divided into six main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments, farm stays and hostels. |
There are two hotels in the Idrija area. We have reviewed and rated them both, so, if you're planning to visit Idrija and would like to stay in a hotel, read on and find out which one best suits your needs. |
Guest houses are a very popular form of lodging in Slovenia and have been in use for many decades. We stayed at four different guesthouses in the Idrija area and would like to recommend two of them. |
If you like complete privacy, comfort, want to be able to cook your favourite meals, or just look for a cheaper and better alternative to hotels, then Idrija apartments are meant for you. They usually have nice modern furniture and all the necessary equipment, including a well equipped kitchen and a modern bathroom. |
Bed and breakfasts are an inexpensive and relaxing alternative to a classic hotel for your stay, but currently we can recommend only one B&B in Idrija. |
Idrija is a small town and only has one hostel. Find out if it suits your needs. |
Farm stays are a great way of bringing your family together and experiencing another way of living. Find out which farm stay in the Idrija area we recommend! |