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THE IMPACT OF HISTORICAL MINING ON THE RELIEF OF LOW TATRAS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MALY GAPEL HILL)

Vladimír Čech

Abstract

The underground mining development in Low Tatras focused primarily on gold, silver and partly iron ore exploitation began in the Middle Ages. At the end of the 16th century, manually created mining underground spaces (vertical shafts and horizontal galleries) were already 100 m deep and several hundred meters long. The mines were situated also at the top of the mountain range at an altitude of approximately 1400 meters above sea level. During the 16th century silver mine called St. Michal was created on the ridge of Maly Gapel hill at an altitude of more than 1500 m a. s. l. After more than three hundred years of exploitation, relief relics in the country of the current Low Tatras National Park were identified. The slope heaps located at the St. Michal shaft and at the hereditary gallery Jozef are visually the most distinct relief relics. From Jozef gallery still flows out underground mine water. Tourists currently use tailings on the heaps to build rock gravity towers. The extent and shape of the underground, which is presently inaccessible, is known by analogy - comparing the underground accessible medieval mines bored by the same technique in the western part of Velky Gapel hill. On the basis of mapping works from the first half of 18th century was created 3D model of St. Michal medieval mine. In the mine, attempts to restore silver mining were made without much success until the first decade of the 19th century. From this period, anthropogenic relief is subject to natural development.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/1.3/s03.085

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