Mineralogical Capital of Poland

Mineralogical Capital of Poland , Why the Valonians ? , Ceramics and glass

Mineralogical Capital of Poland

Szklarska Poręba, which has the ambition of becoming the Mineralogical Capital of Poland, presents a richer and richer offer each year. Guides for the Sudety Mountains region know places of occurrence of precious ores and are willing to take anybody, who is not indifferent to the beauty and magic of such minerals, for an excursion to search for real treasures – crystals and amethysts. There have been classified over 50 minerals, which commonly occur in Karkonosze and Izery mountains, and many of them present properties of such precious stones as: amethyst, mountain crystal, smoky quartz, agate, turmaline, olivine, hyacinth (red-brown variation of zircon), izerine (the variation of ilmenite), morion, aventurine, beryl, tourmaline, aquamarine, topaz, moonstone

The Valonian Brotherhood of Sudety has been established in Szklarska Poręba in 1999. It concentrates people aiming at continuing Valonian traditions by promoting our town as the Mineralogical Capital of Poland. The Brotherhood passes on to tourists the passion for stones and love for the mountains by organising, among others, various recreational events.
Phone contact with the Brotherhood: +4875/ 717 29 56  

Every advocate and lover of minerals must, by all means, visit the following places:

•An Old Valonian Hut, where one can meet the Great Valonian Master, get to know Valonian legends or take part in traditional Valonian rites. 12 Kołłątaja str., tel + 4875/ 717 29 56

•The Museum of the Earth “Juna” and the “Inn of Starvation” (“Karczma Głodowa”) – this place functioned at first as the look out station due to its location by the Czech Road (Droga Czeska). When the place became busy it was turned into an inn. During the construction of the, so called,  road of starvation the workers were receiving very small portions of food, e.g. one loaf of bread for the whole day of work, and were starving – this is how its name originates. At the moment there is the Museum of the Earth inside the inn and the Valonian Cellar,  9 Jeleniogórska str, tel. +4875/ 717 32 87

•The Mineralogical Museum – in front of the building there are trunks of carbonic wood and among exhibits there are rocks and minerals from all over the world, a rich collection of minerals typical for the Karkonosze Mountains, fossils and reconstructions of dinosaurs’ skeletons, an egg of a dinosaur, a meteorite ( altogether over 2000 exhibits). 
The collection comprised also the biggest in Poland, 10-karate diamond in its natural rock  – stolen in 2002. Now the glass box contains its description and photos. 20 Kilińskiego str, tel.+48/  607-100-880

The following minerals can be found in Szklarska Poręba:

mountain crystal, 

amethyst,

smoky quartz, 

pyrite

Why the Valonians ?

Valonians – Valons are the Roman people who arrived at these territories at the times of Galia being conquered by the Romans and settled in the region rich in natural resources, on the area of contemporary Belgium, northern France and the coal basin of Saara. They dealt professionally in excavating and processing natural resources and mining home silver, gold and precious stones. Thanks to such activity they were very respected at all royal courts and palaces of emperors. In the Middle Ages there were not many of them. They constituted a specific caste, which took pride in having secretive knowledge, similar to that of alchemics or astrologists. They had huge influence on rulers at those times and were called engineers. They did not deal with hard work, but were drawing samples and assessing the content of precious deposits in them. It was later that they were called Valonians, as well as all these who participated in excavating works, independently from their nationality, although they had nothing to do with this Roman nation. Everybody who was looking for treasures took up a name of the Valonian.

Ceramics and glass

For centuries glass industry has been the leading domain of local craftsmanship. Numerous places in which the smelting of glass was carried out were relocated, in the course of time, up Kamienna River. In 1617 Wolfgang Preussler, who arrived here form Czech territories, established glass-works in Biała Dolina. The significant event in the history of Szklarska Poręba became the opening, on 7^th July 1842, of “Josephinehütte” (“Józefina”) glass-works. On the day of the start up the factory was employing 100 workers and their number, in the second half of XIX century, increased to 500. In 1865 the number of employees in the three glass-works in Szklarska Poręba amounted to 683, while the overall number of the village inhabitants was 3494. If one includes the cottage workers, who were working in grinderies or paint-shops functioning by their houses, it turns out that the glass industry was the basis of existence for almost every local family. In the second half of XIX century the fame of glass produced here was common and fully earned. Glass industry has been developing in Szklarska Poręba throughout its history and has been the pride of the town until present times.

At the moment glass-making traditions are continued:

 • Leśna Huta - 2 Kołłątaja str, tel. +4875/ 717 23 03. Hand made glass exhibitions. The sales of glass products. It is best to arrange the date and time of the visit by phone.

   • Manufacture of Artistic Ceramics "Cer-Ars", 32 Demokratów str, tel. +4875/ 717 27 15.
Small, handicraftsmanship company, specialising in producing hand-carved and hand-painted vessels. The sales of goods on the spot.