The Zrinski mine

For his great services, Petar Zrinski was granted a royal privilege to mine on Medvednica in 1463. At one spot the mineral galena had been found, carrying traces of silver. Working in shifts, the miners dug out large quantities of ore, which was then smelted, and the silver was separated out by further processing. A tonne of galena had to be smelted to obtain around half a kilogram of silver, a pretty poor ratio, but it served its purpose all the same.

Silver was used mostly to strike coins. The miners came mainly from Zagorje, and every day they had to climb up over Medvednica before putting in a 12-hour shift down the mine. Today people take the cable car to get up to Sljeme and have a coffee, and they still end up tired 🙂

People started working in the mines while they were still children. Hard labour underground, poor food and a lack of sunlight left the miners short in stature. That is why the height of some of the tunnels, too low by today’s standards, was more than enough at the time.

Over the years the silver content fell further, so the Zrinski family made a gift of the mine to the city. Later mining was abandoned altogether and the mine was left to decay. Many of the galleries have collapsed, so numerous hollows and holes are visible across the whole area.

Part of the mine has been restored and is managed by the Medvednica Nature Park public institution. An interesting display has been set up inside the mine, and we warmly recommend a look round it. Guided tours run every half hour between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., at weekends and on public holidays. The mine is closed only during a couple of the winter months. Before planning a visit, do check the opening hours on the public institution’s website.

You reach the mine from the direction of the well-known Grafičar mountain lodge. There is a huge car park in front of the lodge, and from it an easy forest path some 180 m long leads to the mine entrance. In front of the mine there is a small log cabin housing the information point. There you will be given a safety helmet and meet your guide. The price is reasonable, and knowing that Grafičar’s kitchen is right next door is priceless 😉