Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Local / Original ID Number
EŠD 27519
Type of Object
Routes, Mine, Transport - other transport
Description
Short description
A short, only 200-metres-long historical path still runs along the foothills of the mining castle Gewerkenegg. Mercury transport route is updated in comparison with its original appearance, since it is partially widen and covered with asphalt.
Measures
220 m.
Materials
Stone, asphalt
Dating
1493
Author / Producer
Picture attachments
Original use
The mercury transport route included all the phases, from the exploitation (smelting, storing, transporting) of mercury ore to the end user of the mercury. Due to the unique purity of the ore and therefore its great desirability, Idrija was one of the key starting points of the Intercontinental Royal Road (El Camino Real). The latter was especially intensively evolved after 1554, when they began using the amalgamation process in America. In the town of Idrija, until the middle of the 18th century, the mercury was stored in the castle, where the barrels with mercury were also numbered. After the end of trading, this very important metal continued its route from the town to the world starting in the castle, past the building named “Švica”, past the Anthony’s shaft (next to the right bank of the Nikova creek) to the special rake mechanism , over the Idrijca River bridge. On the right bank of the Idrijca River, the two routes which led out of the town split.
Present use
The mercury transport route is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. The updated route runs along the foothills of the mining castle Gewerkenegg to the Chapel of St John of Nepomuk. It symbolically represents the path of all the Idrija’s mercury: until the mid 18th century, it was transported from the smelting plant to the warehouse in the castle, and from there, this highly important metal went into the world all the way to South America (Camino Real).
Due to its extraordinary universal values, the mercury transport route was protected with the Ordinance on the proclamation of the cultural and historical monuments and natural attractions of the Municipality of Idrija, in 1986.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Performing regular maintenance services by the programme, including status control and preservation, security and presentation of the heritage.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- The Cultural Heritage Register of the Republic of Slovenia;
- Režun, Bojan, Zelenc, Anton, Eržen, Uroš. Heritage Values of Idrija and their Relationship with the Mercury Route of the Royal Road. Madrid-Almaden, 2006.