Koroužné: Svratka Valley, Mining and Švařec

Koroužné Between River Valley and Mining

Koroužné lies in the Svratka Valley south of Bystřice nad Pernštejnem. Near Koroužné, the Svratka curves from northeast to southwest around the municipality. About half a kilometre upstream from Koroužné, the Svratka forms the Hastrmanka pool, which local tradition associates with a water spirit. Koroužné thus brings together a clearly recognisable river landscape and an unusual local history.

The Korouženská Adit and Its Access Conditions

The mining history is particularly evident at the Korouženská adit. The adit is 104 metres long. Its entrance is closed by metal doors, and the front section is also flooded to a height of up to one metre. This restriction is an essential part of understanding the site: the Korouženská adit is a specifically located testimony to mining, but not simply an underground section described without any further special features.

Its location can be described precisely for orientation. The Korouženská adit is about 200 metres northeast of the bridge in Koroužné, at the foot of a steep wooded slope and on the right-hand side of the road from Koroužné to Vír. Those who value clear, verifiable local references when choosing excursions will find here a combination of river valley, road, bridge and former mining activity.

Silver Ore Mining and Water Management Educational Trail

Another trace of mining is preserved at Důl sv. Felixe (Zemanovo pole) in Koroužné. Remains of silver ore mining can be found there. These include a shaft hollow approximately ten metres in diameter, the remains of an inclined shaft and large spoil heaps. At the same time, the current situation is clearly described: the entrances to Důl sv. Felixe (Zemanovo pole) have completely collapsed and are partly filled with waste. This distinction is important when planning a trip because it identifies the site as a preserved mining landscape with visible remains, not as a regularly described adit visit.

Another focus follows the watercourse. The Svratecká Water Management Educational Trail runs from Dalečín through the Svratka Valley to Švařec. After the section at the Vír II Reservoir, it continues through Koroužné and Švařec. The educational trail thus offers a second perspective on the area: alongside the traces of silver ore mining, the development and use of the river valley take centre stage.

Švařec: Wooden Bridge, Chapel and Protected Nature

Švařec is home to a covered wooden bridge that is 22 metres long and two metres wide. It was repaired in 1982 and is currently considered to be in good technical condition. The Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity is also located in Švařec. It is an original miners’ place of worship dating from the 13th century and has survived to the present day with only a few later structural alterations. The chapel is a state-protected immovable cultural monument, is considered a unique example of vernacular sacred architecture and is closely associated with local mining.

The landscape near Švařec also has a clearly defined protected status. The Švařec National Nature Monument protects a valuable complex of submontane meadows and pastures with scattered junipers on the right bank of the Brťovský potok. It lies on a steep south-facing slope in the Svratka Valley. This makes it possible to explore different themes side by side during a stay: river landscape, mining history, vernacular sacred architecture, and protected meadows and pastures.

Other Destinations

Other destinations in the same selection: Ostrov Nad Oslavou, Nové Sady, Bolesín, Velká Bíteš, Ujčov, Rovečné, Sviny and Skřinářov.

For the higher-level travel overview: Žďár nad Sázavou District.