Gold prospecting is not only a miner´s specialty, but also a scientific method used by geologists. Here in Magurka, you can become a prospector yourself and try the traditional mining method of gold panning.
Are you on your lucky streak? Forget about lottery and come to Magurka! Now is the right time to try your luck at gold panning. Why don´t you take on a role of a real-life miner and experience the captivating atmosphere of the gold rush? ‘Just like in the old days’!
A real Magurka goldminer would never leave his house without a gold pan, a rock hammer, and ‘krpce’ – the traditional low-top, leather shoes typically worn by peasants.
Try your luck at gold panning in Magurka. Here you can hire a pan for a day. You never know, today just might be your lucky day!
Magurka is an attractive tourist destination not only for its spectacular nature, but also for its rich mining history. In the past, the Magurka settlement grew in importance in the whole Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, as gold deposits and other ore elements were found in the area. The gold mining industry in Magurka began in 1250. In 1835, two new mining shafts were opened – the Ritterstein shaft and the Kilián shaft – and another one followed in 1848 – the Russeger shaft. At first, the gold was extracted manually using the traditional methods of panning and sluicing, which were later replaced by machinery. By 1888, there were already 250 miners working here. In the same year, antimony was discovered here. At the time, the annual mining production of gold as well as that of silver was estimated at ten to eleven kilograms and the annual production of antimony reached 3,000 to 4,000 cubic metres.
Discover more about the gold mining history of Magurka on one of the information boards of The Golden Trail of Magurka – information panel number 10.
