Březenský Drak

Useful Information

Location:	156 Nádražní, Chomutov, 431 45. (50.3952114, 13.4120911)
Open:	no restrictions. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	Lignite Mine Open Cast Mining
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	W=4,400 t, H=50 m.
Guided tours:	salf guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Březenský Drak, 156 Nádražní, Chomutov, 431 45. Severočeské doly, Bozeny Nemcova 5359, Chomutov, 430 01, Tel: +420-725-520-542. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1860s	Augusta shaft opened for coal mining, later renamed Karel shaft.
1967	Nástup Tušimice opencast mine established as merger of 6 coal mines in the vicinity of Chomutov (German Komotau) and Kadaň (German Kaaden).
1979	machine put into operation.
1994	Bílina opencast mine merged.
2010	machine retired.

Geology

The North Bohemian Basin or Mostecká pánev (Most Basin) is an area south of the ore mountains. With a size of more than 1,100 km² it has an elevation of only 270 m asl. While the basement is the same crystalline rocks as the ore mountains, the main difference is the elevation, the rocks moved downwards and this basin was filled with sediments during the Tertiary. During the Miocene mainly volcanic rocks, pyroclastic sediments, clays and sands were deposited. But the most important sediments are lignite and ceramic clays which are mined in huge open casts. It is among the richest European deposits of lignite.

Description

Březenský Drak (Dragon of Březno) is a massive, decommissioned coal-mine excavator, with the cabin on one end and the huge paddle wheel on the other side it actually resembles a huge yellow dragon. Such excavators are used all over the world in open cast mines where lignite is mined. The amount of lignite is quite massive, and it is rather soft, so there is no need for hard rock mining techniques or explosives. The soft lignite is excavated with huge shovels of the bucket-wheel and then thrown on a conveyor belt, and transported to the next power station where it is burned to produce electricity.

The official name of the coal-mine excavator is KU 800.8/K77 but the locals from Brezno call it Severus. Its unclear why they chose this name, it probably refers to Northern Bohemia (Severní Čech). But others guessed its after Severus Snape, a character from the Harry Potter novels, or probably a Roman emperor. The machine weighs around 4,400 tons and is 50 m high. It was in operation from 1979 to 2010 in the Nástup Tušimice mine, a huge open cast west of Březno.

The huge decommissioned excavator was placed in a mining compound south of the village. There is a gate and a fence. It is actually not a mining museum or accessible for tourists, until 2024 there were regular guided tours which included entering the compound and visiting the excavator. Tours wereoffered April to October every Saturday at 10, 13 and 14, starting point was the Březenská gatehouse of Severočeské doly. Those tours were not offered any more in 2025, the reasons are unknown. The compound as well as the machine are owned by the mining company Severočeské doly in Březno who decided to discontinue the tours. Nevertheless, there are numerous ways to see it, there is a small parking at the entrance to the compound and a sort of mining trail along the fence which offers views of the excavator. The machine is quite big and hard to miss. Also, it’s possible to book a tour to the still operating open cast and visit an excavator which is still operating.

Lignite mining in the Mostecká pánev (Most Basin) started in the second half of 19th century, mostly by extensive surface mining. But in the beginning there was also underground mining, for example in the Augusta shaft, which changed owner and was renamed Karel shaft. It was destroyed by a fire around 1900 and then Julius shaft was sunk. After World War II it was renamed Důl Jana Žižky and was active until 1992. The huge open cast Důl Nástup–Tušimice was started in 1953 and the coal is burned in nearby Elektrárny Tušimice (Tušimice Power Plant). The operators plan to extend the mine in 2029.