TIME FOR LUBUSZ REGION – Mining and cultural landscape of UNESCO World Geopark Łuk Mużakowa

It is often stated that the Lubuskie Province, due to its terrain and forest cover, does not have good conditions for exhibiting landscape values. Whether it is so in reality, we can find out by visiting the UNESCO Geopark Łuk Mużakowa.

This geopark comprises a horseshoe-shaped glacitectonic moraine reflecting the outline of a glacial tongue. Its arms are distant from each other by about 20 km and extend in Poland and Germany. In the middle part the moraine of Łuk Mużakowa is divided by the valley of Nysa Łużycka River, which reaches the depth of 40 m. It is the specific geological structure of the area, its geomorphology and the subsequent skillful use of natural resources that led to the creation of places with unique landscapes. These include areas of former lignite mining as well as parks and gardens integrated into their natural surroundings. Their landscape values should be considered exceptional, not inferior to regions considered to be landscape tourist attractions. Just visit the UNESCO World Geopark Łuk Mużakowa.

Post-mining landscape

During the ice age, the deposits of lignite and clay lying deep within the moraine structures were pressed upwards from a depth of over 150 m, which gave rise to the development of mining. Lignite, clay loam and glass sands occurring within the boundaries of dammed moraine were mined for over 120 years, from the mid-19th century to the end of the 1970s.

The remains of the industrial era are artificial depressions, best visible in the area of Tuplice, Trzebiel and Łęknica. They are dry or waterlogged and are often accompanied by heaps of overburden rocks. The arrangement of depressions refers to the course of narrow mining seams. Therefore, numerous anthropogenic lakes filling the depressions are usually elongated and located parallel in close proximity. Between the lakes there are ruins of mining buildings, such as shaft lining or traces of transportation railways. All these objects compose the post-industrial landscape, which is usually associated with degradation of natural elements.

more at geopark.muzakowski.pl