The sorting plant of the Ostrava Mine Michal will undergo renovations for 100 million crowns

Ostrava - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) is preparing an extensive reconstruction of the former coal sorting plant in the area of the Michal Mine in Ostrava, which is a national cultural monument. The work is expected to last until the end of November 2027. The aim of the project, costing nearly 100 million crowns, is to ensure the building's structural stability and gradually make it accessible to the public. This was stated today by custodian Vojtěch Polášek. The reconstruction is co-financed by the European Union from the Integrated Regional Operational Program.

The four-story sorting plant, where coal was delivered by mine carts on an overhead track, was used for the initial processing of mined coal. The building included a so-called coal washing facility, where water separated rock from lighter coal, and the water also carried away the smallest coal and coal dust into tanks where the coal slurry was collected. Adjacent to the sorting plant is a storage tank where the material was sent after sorting and further processing. It is the largest structure in the Michal Mine complex.

"In September, we started clearing out. The actual reconstruction should begin in October with the handover of the construction site. The work is expected to last until the end of November 2027," Polášek stated. He added that the work includes ensuring the building's structural stability, repairing steel constructions, and a new roof.

The work will be carried out in stages. At the end of the first stage, the fourth floor of the monument will be accessible by elevator, where a new exhibition will be created. "Using modern QR code technology, visitors will be able to supplement information about the journey of coal from extraction to shipment," he said. He added that access to the observation floor in one of the tallest buildings in the entire complex would also offer visitors a view of the area from a different perspective. "The barrier-free access to the observation floor will allow individuals with limited mobility to experience this attractive view from above, not only of the Michal Mine complex but also of the surrounding area," Polášek stated.

Gradually, visitors could also access additional floors of the sorting plant. "The building is overall interesting. In the second stage, we would like to make the tipping area accessible, where coal arrived from the shaft building and the carts tipped it at the beginning of the sorting process," said the custodian. He added that plans for the third stage have not yet been prepared.

The total costs for the first stage will reach 100 million crowns, of which 56 million crowns will come from EU structural funds. The remainder will be from the state budget and the NPÚ's own resources.

Coal was mined at the Michal Mine, formerly known as the Petr Cingr Mine, from 1843 to 1993. Since 1995, the area has been a national cultural monument. Currently, administrative buildings, the hoisting building, and the machine room with original electric machines are accessible to visitors. Visitors can view the chain lockers, guild room, and engine room. The current form of the area faithfully captures the technical state from the years 1912 to 1915 when the mine was completely rebuilt into a fully electrified operation according to the design of architect František Fiala.

Heritage conservationists want to preserve the entire mine area in its original form, as if the workers had just left, keeping everything in its place. During the tour, visitors walk the same path that miners took to work every day.