Jivka: Mining, Nature and Village Culture

Jivka brings together a range of historical and landscape themes: mining history, distinctive habitats and protected village architecture. When looking for hotels in Jivka, you can plan your trip around whichever of these aspects of the area interests you most. The Bohumír mine takes you into the history of underground technology, the spoil heap connects former copper mining with diverse habitats, and Dolní Vernéřovice is known for its characteristic rural building styles.

Bohumír Mine: The History of Technology Underground

The Měděný důl Bohumír reopened to the public in 2015. Visitors can walk through the underground mine where miners once worked and experience an authentic technical monument. On view are original mining technology, mine carts and tools, as well as authentic buildings, machinery and surviving details of local mining. This offers a perspective ranging from the tools used by miners to the technical equipment and buildings associated with the local mining history.

The mine also serves an ecological purpose: it provides protected bats with both a place to hibernate and a summer refuge. This means two distinct themes come together here: human work in historic mining and the mine’s seasonal importance to bats.

Spoil Heap: Former Copper Mining and Habitats

The Jivka spoil heap is the former settling facility of the Bohumír copper mine and copper ore processing plant. Today, it is distinguished by a mosaic of different habitats: dry, extremely nutrient-poor areas sit alongside wet habitats. Several orchid species grow in this mosaic. The focus of the spoil heap therefore differs from that of the underground mine: here, diverse habitats and orchids define the natural environment, while Bohumír primarily presents the history of mining technology.

The best way to reach the spoil heap is via the red-marked hiking trail from Horní Vernéřovice towards Malé Svatoňovice. The Jívka, odbočka SKJ bus stop is a possible starting point. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current timetable before your trip.

Dolní Vernéřovice: Protected Village Architecture

The village heritage zone of Dolní Vernéřovice in Jivka is characterised by dispersed masonry and log buildings. The buildings are in the style of the Podkrkonoší and Silesian houses. The heritage zone has been protected since 1 January 2005. Its distinctive architecture stems from both the house styles described and their dispersed layout throughout the village.

Individual buildings and historic markers also add their own character. The Church of sv. Maří Magdalény is a branch church and was formerly a parish church. A group of three Renaissance and Baroque boundary stones documents the historic marking of the boundary between two estates. The column with the Pietà group (Sloup se sousoším Piety) is considered a valuable example of regional sculpture and stone masonry from the late 17th century.

The Chapel of sv. Antonína Paduánského dates from 1752. It is an oriented rural chapel with a polygonal end, a porch and a small roof turret, and is considered an example of vernacular sacred architecture. Taken together, the village heritage zone, church, chapel and other historic features represent different aspects of the local cultural heritage: from the design of rural houses and sacred architecture to the marking of historic estate boundaries.

Discover more destinations: Horní Staré Buky, Dubenec, Radvanice V Čechách, Vitezna, Kuks, Třebihošť, Litíč, Libotov

For the wider travel overview: Okres Trutnov.