Hg Smelting Plant
Discover the story of mercury from the ore to the droplets!
On the premises of the ancient mining smelting plant, find out more about the exciting yet dangerous characteristics of this metal, which is the only metal liquid at room temperature. Learn about the various ways mercury can be used and follow the interactive presentation to discover how the smelting furnaces of the mine produced more than 3 million of steel bottles of mercury in the five hundred years of Idrija mine.
Up to the “Raufnk” hill and on to the “Turkish Foot”
You are invited to discover the secret of the legend of the “Turkish Foot”.
The “Turkish Foot” is a large rock with holes that resemble a footprint. There are two legends. The first one claims that a Turk with a horse, who arrived during the Turkish incursions on a reconnaissance mission to see if it was worth attacking Idrija, left his mark there. When he got off his horse to look around towards Idrija, Mary appeared to him with a donkey, and the rider and the horse began to sink into the rock. According to the legend, they managed to escape and the print that you can see if you climb on the rock resembles a hoof. Another legend states that the Turks reached the mentioned place over the mountains, and their commander, convinced that they had reached the end...
Rotary furnace in the Hg Smelting plant - 3D model
In the years 2020-2021, as part of the project Raising competences and developing the tourist offer in the leading tourist destination of Škofja Loka and Idrija in 2020 and 2021, in cooperation with the Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre and the company Arctur d.o.o., carried out a digital capture of the rotary furnace in the Hg Smelting Plant. A 3D model of the rotary furnace was also created, which represents an important step in the digital preservation of cultural heritage.
The investment was co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.
