In the shadow of the two shaft towers of the historic KWK Ignacy mine in Rybnik, a unique place has been created: the Couples’ Square and recreational area. On an area of approximately 2 hectares, a generally accessible space dedicated to the local community and visitors to the historic Ignacy Mine, located at Mościckiego Street in Rybnik, in the Niewiadom district, was created
In the part located behind the shafthead building of the Głowacki shaft, there is the Square of Steam with a hardened, irregular form, where a spectacular, first in Europe multimedia installation using steam and fog was designed. The main part consists of a recreational area, a leisure area, industrial playgrounds and an “experimental garden” allowing the youngest users to carry out simple experiments illustrating interesting physical phenomena on their own as part of their play. The area will provide a place for daily leisure and recreation, development through play, as well as a backdrop for spectacular cultural events. Five steel rest shelters have also been erected parallel to Sport Street. The site received an award from the Society of Polish Town Planners in the competition for the best organised public space of 2022 in the category ‘Revitalised public space of a monument’
The mine itself was founded in 1792 on the initiative of Karl Georg von Hoym, Prussian minister of the Silesian province. Initially it was subordinate to the Metallurgical Office in Rybnik, and from 1810 to the state mining authorities. It was exploited intermittently. In 1890 Prince Hugon zu Hohenlohe-Oehringen acquired the majority of the mine’s shares, and in 1914 the “Czernicki Towarzystwo Węglowe” took over. The mine was operated together with the “Carolus” mine. In 1940 it was taken over by the Hermann Göring concern and from 1945 it belonged to the “Rybnik Coal Industry Association”. on 1 January 1968 it was incorporated into the “Rydułtowy” mine. From 4 September 1936 the mine was named Ignacy, in honour of the Polish President Ignacy Mościcki. From 1968 it operated as the Ignacy movement of the Rydułtowy coal mine
The historic Ignacy Mine is a remarkable place in the history of Rybnik. Today, this well-maintained technical monument combines the functions of an interactive science centre and a facility popularising the industrial culture traditions of the Rybnik area. In 2022, renovation work was completed, during which all the buildings of the former mine underwent thorough restoration – the buildings of the machine room of the Głowacki shaft and the carpentry shop, the shaft headroom of the Głowacki shaft, the compressor room, the shaft headroom and the machine room of the Kościuszko shaft, as well as the water tower adapted to a viewing tower. The most valuable monuments are the two steam-powered hoisting machines. The winding machine of the Kościuszko Shaft is back in operation after 13 years of disuse. In the shaft top of the “Kościuszko” shaft, there is an interactive exhibition entitled “The Age of Steam”, devoted to the steam engine and its use in various fields of technology
Source: blankarchitekci.pl, zabytkitechniki.pl
Read also: Museum | Squares, squares, parks | Monument | History | Education | Rybnik | Interestingfacts
