Heritage protectors and Diamo are discussing which buildings in the mining areas of Karviná will be recognized as monuments

Karviná – Conservationists and the state enterprise Diamo have begun discussions about which buildings in the areas of closing coal mines in the Moravian-Silesian Region could be protected as cultural monuments and preserved for future generations as industrial heritage. For example, the Karviná Důl ČSA is considered valuable. CTK was informed today by Diamo spokesperson Jana Dronská.

Diamo is responsible for the phasing out of the mines and the remediation of the consequences of mining activities, collaborating with the regional organization Moravskoslezské Investice a Development (MSID) as well. "Based on experiences from the Ostrava mines, it is advisable to address the establishment of monument protection together, in a coordinated and timely manner, to avoid the devaluation of technically, architecturally, or urbanistically valuable structures that are meant to document and commemorate the industrial history of the region,” said Dronská.

Michal Zezula, director of the National Heritage Institute's (NPÚ) Territorial Specialist Workplace in Ostrava, stated that it is important to preserve the areas and structures in such a selection that covers their typological diversity. The methodological center for industrial heritage at NPÚ in Ostrava has therefore conducted an extensive field survey. "It has created a passport for the surface parts of mining areas and their equipment not only from the architectural value perspective but also regarding their significance for documenting the technological development of mining activities and related processes," said Zezula.

The NPÚ suggests that monument protection in the Karviná part of the mining region should be based on preserving the main types of mining towers as symbols in the landscape and some other structures. "From a historical, typological, and architectural perspective, Důl ČSA appears to be the most significant, exemplifying one of the first large mines with a thoughtful concept of related operations,” Dronská noted. The closed Gabriela and Barbora mines are already designated cultural monuments in Karviná.

The liquidation process of the mines simply consists of the safe dismantling of underground sections, disassembling the sites including unnecessary structures, remediation and reclamation work, and preparing the area for further use. Diamo's director, Ludvík Kašpar, stated that the company is aware of the importance of considering the preservation of historical values during the liquidation of the individual mining sites. "Maintaining monuments, however, costs millions of crowns, and therefore it is essential to work together with experts to find solutions that take into account all significant aspects. I believe we can succeed, especially since discussions with NPÚ began when we were preparing the first major demolitions of unnecessary structures," Kašpar added.

Dronská added that at the first major joint meeting, the conservationists also mentioned considerations about the possibility of registering some mining structures or areas on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They had already been working on preparing the necessary materials years ago, but the proposal could not be pushed through at that time.

Coal mining in the Czech Republic is gradually coming to an end, as it has not been profitable in the long term. In recent years, mining has ceased in the Paskov, Lazy, ČSA, and Darkov mines. Currently, the company OKD is only mining in Důl ČSM in Karviná. According to original plans, mining was supposed to end this year, but in April the OKD board decided that coal extraction would continue until the second quarter of 2023, and a month ago the company announced that mining would continue at least until the end of next year. OKD's management is also considering extending its mining operations until 2025, with a decision expected no later than the first half of next year. Coal prices have increased year-on-year by up to dozens of percent. Traders anticipate further rises in price. Other energy sources are also becoming more expensive.