Treasury

The treasury contains 1,066 imitation gold bars. They represent about 16 tonnes of gold obtained over centuries of working the local deposits. This is a model of historic production, rather than a deposit of that much real gold. Gathering the bars in one place conveys the scale of extraction spread over many generations.

The earliest known document concerning local mining dates from 1273, when Henry IV Probus granted mining privileges to the Cistercians of Kamieniec Ząbkowicki. Production flourished particularly in the sixteenth century, reaching about 110 kilograms of gold a year. Mining and ore processing supported the town's wealth, a history summarised by the treasury. After industrial operations ended, the workings found a new use: the Underground Tourist Route opened on 28 May 1996.