"KRZYŻOWA
MOUNTAIN"
HOW THE FIRST GOLD WAS FOUND
The ore, mined in this mountain, formed numerous separate pockets and veins. Some of them were even 50 metres below the level of the "Książęca" drift. Many of the pockets and veins had their mouths on the surface of the slope. As a result of physical, chemical and biological processes, the ore in this part of the deposit was decaying, and its elements relocated in the way shown diagrammatically in the drawing below.
Fine molecules of ore, along with the already released microscopic molecules of gold and saline solution, flew down the slope together with rain water. Some part of them precipitated in the sand on the bottom of the stream forming so called "secondary deposit". Further comminution of the ore particles and segregations of all components according to the specific gravity was caused by the flowing water. In that way the molecules of gold gathered in one place. Compacted together they formed, visible with a naked eye, gold leaves and lumps. The first gold prospectors found them in the Golden Stream over one thousand years ago. Some changes also happened in the ore vein located directly under the eluvium. The saline solution, emerging under the eluvium relocated, along with the molecules of gold towards the deepness of the deposit. And under the level of the subterranean water they formed the layer of the concentrated ore called "cementational". The layer of the oxidised ore lying over the concentrated ore, contained the hydrated ferric oxide and formed an easy to find "red overlay". While mining under it, miners would encountered that part of the vein that contained the biggest quantity of gold. And the gold was easier for extracting with the metallurgical methods than the gold occurring in the ore that had not undergone any changes.
--- zoom ---
The Gold Mountains range, where we are now, is a part of 28,000-hectare Śnieżnicki Landscape Park. The park includes also the massive of Śnieżnik Mountain and the Bialskie Mountains. The flora and the fauna of park is extremely rich. Many Sudeten, Carpathian and Mesoalpine species live here. The most precious are endemics relicts invertebrates, especially the representatives of the cave flora. In the mountain streams you can find Speckled Trout (Salmo trutta), Brook Lamprey (Lampetra planeri) and Alpine Bullhead (Cottus poecilopus Heckel). On the slopes you can see Common Viper (Vipera berus), Grass Snake (Natrix natrix), Blind-worm (Anguis fragilis) and Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca). From among the birds living here we should mention: Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia), Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix), Wood Grouse (Tetrao urogallus), Eagle Owl (Bubo Bubo), Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), Jay (Garrulus glandarius) , Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) and Dipper (Cinclus cinclus). And the common mammals are: a deer, a roe deer , a wild boar, a badger, a hare, a fox and an ermine, as well as numerous species of bats and rodents such as Edible Dormouse (Glis glis), Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and Forest Dormouse (Dryomys nitedula).
BÍLÁ VODA (WHITE WATER)
In the 16th century on the hill, opposite the ravine, there was a settlement Wysoka. Later its inhabitants moved to Bila Voda that was situated little further from the border. The shortest way from Złoty Stok to Lądek Zdrój led through Bila Voda. The town was famous for the biggest in Silesia and Moravia Piarist Academy, established in 1732. Antonin Grossmann, who was an outstanding composer and teacher, lectured at the Academy. In 1950 the buildings of the former academy were settled by nuns brought here forcibly from various convents in Czechoslovakia. In the local cemetery 8 there are graves of about 700 nuns. In 1854 the duchess Marianna Orańska bought a palace in Bila Voda and lived here for several years while supervising the construction work of the palace in Kamieniec. She stayed also very often in Złoty Stok. In the still existing building of the palace there is a hospital now.
KAPLICA ŚWIĘTEJ ANNY
The name of Krzyżowa Mountain is connected with the work of miners. Here at the foot of the cross, placed on the mountain, the miners prayed for a happy return from the mine. Some crosses were put on the mountain to commemorate those miners who had stayed underground for ever, burred alive in the mines. In 1731 S. Kachler, the leaseholder of the quarry, built here a chapel dedicated to St. Ann. Later a living quarter was added where a hermit monk lived. Near the top of the mountain a calvary was built. Successive hermits looked after the chapel, the calvary and the pilgrims. The chapel with a little bell was rebuilt in 1836 and survived until the year 1953 in the shape shown below in the reproductions of some old postcards. Above the entrance of the chapel there was an inscription in Latin: "Venite adoremus" (Come to worship) and little higher another one saying "Levati oculos meos in montes" (I lift up my eyes to the hills). Next to the chapel there is a sacrificial cross with the name of the founder on it. The last eremite was a Franciscan tertiary Robert Domsch. He fed himself with bread and the fruits of the forest drinking rain water. He carved cribs and sacred decoration, and sold them. The money was used for his living. In 1946 Robert Domsch was displaced to Germany. The lack of conservator and starting the quarry on the slope, contributed to damaging the church and the hermitage. Recently Kazimierz Mitusiński has taken care of the place and has restored the calvary.
HOW THE FIRST GOLD WAS FOUND
The ore, mined in this mountain, formed numerous separate pockets and veins. Some of them were even 50 metres below the level of the "Książęca" drift. Many of the pockets and veins had their mouths on the surface of the slope. As a result of physical, chemical and biological processes, the ore in this part of the deposit was decaying, and its elements relocated in the way shown diagrammatically in the drawing below.
Fine molecules of ore, along with the already released microscopic molecules of gold and saline solution, flew down the slope together with rain water. Some part of them precipitated in the sand on the bottom of the stream forming so called "secondary deposit". Further comminution of the ore particles and segregations of all components according to the specific gravity was caused by the flowing water. In that way the molecules of gold gathered in one place. Compacted together they formed, visible with a naked eye, gold leaves and lumps. The first gold prospectors found them in the Golden Stream over one thousand years ago. Some changes also happened in the ore vein located directly under the eluvium. The saline solution, emerging under the eluvium relocated, along with the molecules of gold towards the deepness of the deposit. And under the level of the subterranean water they formed the layer of the concentrated ore called "cementational". The layer of the oxidised ore lying over the concentrated ore, contained the hydrated ferric oxide and formed an easy to find "red overlay". While mining under it, miners would encountered that part of the vein that contained the biggest quantity of gold. And the gold was easier for extracting with the metallurgical methods than the gold occurring in the ore that had not undergone any changes.
--- zoom ---
The Gold Mountains range, where we are now, is a part of 28,000-hectare Śnieżnicki Landscape Park. The park includes also the massive of Śnieżnik Mountain and the Bialskie Mountains. The flora and the fauna of park is extremely rich. Many Sudeten, Carpathian and Mesoalpine species live here. The most precious are endemics relicts invertebrates, especially the representatives of the cave flora. In the mountain streams you can find Speckled Trout (Salmo trutta), Brook Lamprey (Lampetra planeri) and Alpine Bullhead (Cottus poecilopus Heckel). On the slopes you can see Common Viper (Vipera berus), Grass Snake (Natrix natrix), Blind-worm (Anguis fragilis) and Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca). From among the birds living here we should mention: Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia), Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix), Wood Grouse (Tetrao urogallus), Eagle Owl (Bubo Bubo), Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), Jay (Garrulus glandarius) , Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) and Dipper (Cinclus cinclus). And the common mammals are: a deer, a roe deer , a wild boar, a badger, a hare, a fox and an ermine, as well as numerous species of bats and rodents such as Edible Dormouse (Glis glis), Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and Forest Dormouse (Dryomys nitedula).
BÍLÁ VODA (WHITE WATER)
In the 16th century on the hill, opposite the ravine, there was a settlement Wysoka. Later its inhabitants moved to Bila Voda that was situated little further from the border. The shortest way from Złoty Stok to Lądek Zdrój led through Bila Voda. The town was famous for the biggest in Silesia and Moravia Piarist Academy, established in 1732. Antonin Grossmann, who was an outstanding composer and teacher, lectured at the Academy. In 1950 the buildings of the former academy were settled by nuns brought here forcibly from various convents in Czechoslovakia. In the local cemetery 8 there are graves of about 700 nuns. In 1854 the duchess Marianna Orańska bought a palace in Bila Voda and lived here for several years while supervising the construction work of the palace in Kamieniec. She stayed also very often in Złoty Stok. In the still existing building of the palace there is a hospital now.
KAPLICA ŚWIĘTEJ ANNY
The name of Krzyżowa Mountain is connected with the work of miners. Here at the foot of the cross, placed on the mountain, the miners prayed for a happy return from the mine. Some crosses were put on the mountain to commemorate those miners who had stayed underground for ever, burred alive in the mines. In 1731 S. Kachler, the leaseholder of the quarry, built here a chapel dedicated to St. Ann. Later a living quarter was added where a hermit monk lived. Near the top of the mountain a calvary was built. Successive hermits looked after the chapel, the calvary and the pilgrims. The chapel with a little bell was rebuilt in 1836 and survived until the year 1953 in the shape shown below in the reproductions of some old postcards. Above the entrance of the chapel there was an inscription in Latin: "Venite adoremus" (Come to worship) and little higher another one saying "Levati oculos meos in montes" (I lift up my eyes to the hills). Next to the chapel there is a sacrificial cross with the name of the founder on it. The last eremite was a Franciscan tertiary Robert Domsch. He fed himself with bread and the fruits of the forest drinking rain water. He carved cribs and sacred decoration, and sold them. The money was used for his living. In 1946 Robert Domsch was displaced to Germany. The lack of conservator and starting the quarry on the slope, contributed to damaging the church and the hermitage. Recently Kazimierz Mitusiński has taken care of the place and has restored the calvary.
