Discover the History of the Liczyrzepa Mine
Join us for a fascinating journey through the history of uranium mining.
Uncover secrets, legends, and the story of Kowary on an underground educational tour set in the unique atmosphere of the Liczyrzepa Mine.
Descend Underground. Hear What Was Left Unspoken.
The Karkonosze Mountains hide stories that were never written in textbooks.
Beneath layers of rock, where light comes only from a flashlight, the echoes of events once erased from official memory still resonate. The Liczyrzepa Mine is more than just tunnels — it is a place where time still breathes.
A True Underground Space
This is no simulation — the tunnels you walk through were carved by the hands of miners working in silence. The walls are not decoration, but witnesses to labor, fatigue, and hope.
Traces of a Buried History
In official documents, they were listed as the Secret Industrial Plants R1, but every local knew it was something more. As you wander through the adits, you’ll notice fragments of a reality someone once tried to hide.
A Place That Didn’t Exist on Maps
For years, these tunnels were invisible to the world — absent from records, never shown on TV. Today, you can enter places that were once strictly off-limits.
Silence That Speaks
Underground, sound travels differently. Your footsteps, the guide’s voice, even your own breath — everything sounds altered, as if the world above no longer mattered.
Stories Without Names
Some were passed down by former miners, others found in archival documents. As you explore, you piece together fragments of a puzzle — not all pieces fit perfectly, but each one is real.
Light in Places That Knew Only Darkness
Walking through the tunnels is entering a space that was closed off for decades. Today, we bring light — not only electric light, but the kind that illuminates memory.
Rediscovered
The Secrets of Uranium in the Heart of the Karkonosze Mountains
Although uranium is now mainly associated with nuclear reactors and atomic weapons, its history in the Sudetes reaches far beyond the 20th century. For centuries, the Karkonosze Mountains have hidden rich mineral deposits, but it was only after World War II that uranium became a strategic resource — sought after, extracted, and guarded with utmost secrecy.
Uranium – The Element That Sparked a Revolution
Uranium is an extraordinary element — a heavy metal with the symbol U, whose existence meant little for centuries. It wasn’t until the 20th century that humanity discovered its immense potential. In nature, uranium occurs primarily as isotope U-238, but it is U-235 — rare and unstable — that is capable of nuclear fission, releasing an enormous amount of energy. This property made uranium the heart of nuclear technology. Its fission leads to a chain reaction — controlled in civilian reactors, uncontrolled in atomic bombs. Uranium has given humanity both the ability to produce affordable electricity and the means to create weapons of unimaginable power. No wonder that in the mid-20th century, a global uranium rush began.
The Karkonosze Mountains, with their complex geological structure and mineral wealth, quickly drew the attention of the Soviet Union.
Uranium Mines in Kowary – A Hidden Underground History
In the 1950s, under an agreement between the USSR and communist Poland (PRL), intensive uranium mining began near Kowary. In the very place where today’s tourist route Sztolnie Kowary – Liczyrzepa Mine is located, tunnels were dug that officially… did not exist. Everything was carried out in strict secrecy — absent from maps, unmentioned in the press. The extracted uranium ore was immediately transported to the Soviet Union.
The workforce included both civilian miners and personnel connected to the military and security services. Despite harsh working conditions, many memories have survived — of the daily labor and the incredible atmosphere underground.
The miners didn’t always know exactly what they were extracting — official documents used code names, and uranium mines were often labeled as “quartz extraction facilities.”
Today, thanks to declassified archives and witness accounts, we can uncover the true background of one of the most secretive mining operations in Poland’s history.
Uranium Extraction Technology – Between Mining and Military Strategy
Extracting uranium ore in Kowary required significant technical effort.
Although many tunnels were dug hastily, they utilized — for their time — advanced mining methods.
Miners worked under difficult conditions: humidity, radioactive dust, poor ventilation, and tight deadlines were everyday realities.
Drilling and blasting, hand tools, and basic mechanization were employed. The ore was loaded onto carts and transported to the surface, then sorted and shipped by rail — directly to the USSR.
Particular attention was paid to infrastructure safety… but not to human safety. Radiation hazards were rarely discussed.
Today, these efforts can be seen not just as part of mining history, but as a component of the Cold War arms race, in which Poland served as a silent supplier of uranium for the Soviet nuclear program.
The Adits Today – A Tourist Journey into Times of Secrecy
After years of abandonment, the former adits have been transformed into a fascinating tourist route.
This is not an ordinary museum — it’s a journey through time and space, where every visitor becomes an explorer.
The route leads through original mining tunnels, where traces of labor, safety installations, and the region’s geological history are still visible.
The guides — often history enthusiasts and former mine workers — share stories about life underground, secrecy, equipment, and procedures from that era.
Our mine is safe, monitored, and adapted for visits by children, school groups, and individual tourists.
There is an atmosphere of mystery here — but also pride in a history that was hidden for decades.
This is a place where you can understand how deeply geology, technology, and politics became intertwined beneath a single mountain slope.
We Invite You – Discover the Underground World of Uranium
The Liczyrzepa Mine in Kowary is not just a tourist attraction — it’s a living lesson in history, geology, and technology.
It speaks to the imagination, evokes respect, and inspires fascination.
If you want to walk a real route where, just a few decades ago, a quiet battle for a strategic resource took place…
If you want to touch the rocks that remember the Cold War and hear stories told with passion — Come visit Sztolnie Kowary.
This journey will stay with you for a long time.
Uranium Mine
Exciting Underground Adventure in Kowary
Explore our selection of interactive exhibitions, multimedia presentations, and educational tours that attract visitors of all ages and provide an unforgettable experience.
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Book your visit today!
Visit our mine and uncover the secrets of the Karkonosze Mountains.
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