Solvayovy Lomy

Solvay’s quarries

Useful Information

Location:	Svatý Jan Pod Skalou, Český Kras. Southwest of Prague. D5 (E50) from Prague to Pilsen, exit 10 Lodĕnice, about 20 km from Prague. To Bubovice or Svaty Jan pod Skalou. Follow marked paths, yellow or blue from Bubovice, green or red from Svaty Jan. (49.976620, 14.149096)
Open:	MAY to JUN Sat, Sun, Hol 10-16. JUL to AUG Wed-Fri 11-15, Sat, Sun, Hol 10-16. SEO to OCT Sat, Sun, Hol 10-16. [2025]
Fee:	Museum + Gunshop: Adults CZK 120, Children (3-15) CZK 80, Children (0-2) free, Students (-26) CZK 80, Seniors (65+) CZK 80, Family (2+3) CZK 320. Motor Train: Adults CZK 90, Children (3-15) CZK 60, Children (0-2) free, Students (-26) CZK 90, Seniors (65+) CZK 90, Family (2+3) CZK 240. Steam Train: Adults CZK 120, Children (3-15) CZK 80, Children (0-2) free, Students (-26) CZK 120, Seniors (65+) CZK 120, Family (2+3) CZK 320. Free admission for residents of the villages of Svatý Jan pod Skalou and Bubovice. [2025]
Classification:	Limestone Mine Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=50 m, A=360 m asl, T=8 °C.
Guided tours:	L=400 m, St=5, D=100 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Společnost Barbora, Svatý Jan pod Skalou 11, 26601 Beroun. skanzen@solvayovylomy.cz
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

1915	purchased by a chemical company.
1918	beginning of limestone mining.
1922-1925	underground mining experiments.
1963	quarries closed.
1996	opened to the public.

Description

Solvayovy lomy (Solvay's quarries) is a closed limestone quarry, which - rather rare for limestone quarries - also included underground mining for limestone. The quarries started in 1918 on the northern side of the hill. The limestone was broken by workers and transported on narrow little gauge wagons to the upper station of a cable car. It was carried downhill by the cable car and then shipped by standard gauge wagons, to the factory in Neštemice.

Today there is an exposition with an open air museum and the visit of the limestone mine. The main feature is the train ride on the narrow gauge quarry rail track. On Easter and other holidays out of season the museum is closed but there are train rides. During the season there are also train rides without a museum tour. The full tour departs at 11, 13, and 15, arrives at the museum 20 minutes later. Then the 60-minutes tour takes place, which includes the main museum building and the adit. After the tour there is another 20-minute train ride back to the entrance. On regular days there is a normal mine train, on special days and Holidays the train is pulled by a steam engine named Bronhilda.

The museum has four different exhibitions, mining and transport of limestone in the Czech Karst, geology and speleology, cargo cableways, and the period machine workshop.