The museum in the former mine in Nowa Ruda was founded in 1996, a year after coal mining ended there.. The determination and knowledge of its initiators, i.e. miners who could not come to terms with the fact that after 200 years the mine was closedbut they were not enough – their activities did not survive, among others. due to lack of money. For the next three years, the museum was managed by the city, which also had no idea how to develop it. In 2002, the mine was leased by Barbara Korbas, and a few years later she bought the facility.
Link to the offer here.
— I am very grateful to the miners that they decided to establish this museum, because I love this place. I have been running it for 23 yearsso my child is already mature. Why did I decide to put the property up for sale? The answer is simple: I don't want to die at work, I want to experience something else in life – says the owner in an interview with Nieruchomosci-online.pl, where this advertisement appeared.
From visiting a fortune teller to your own mine
Today, the Former Nowa Ruda Mine is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Kłodzko Valley, enjoying a reputation as one of the most authentic places in the region. The property, put up for sale for PLN 7.5 million, is described by the owner as a “speeding train” — a ready-made, fully functioning business with a recognizable brand.
But the story of the purchase of the facility by Barbara Korbas is also unique. As she recalls, at some point her professional and personal life fell apart after her husband's death. — I am a teacher by profession, I spent most of my 20 years of professional work in managerial positions. One day I went to a fortune teller in Wrocław, very expensive, but apparently very good. I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life, she says.
A facility with an area of 2,000. m2 was built in 1960.
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And she adds: – And I heard from this fortune teller that with my energy I should start my own company and it would be best to move out of Lubin altogether. What a foolish woman, I thought then. Start your own business in the early 2000s?! A year later I was in Nowa Ruda, approximately 130 km away from Lubin. I stayed with my sister who owns a gold mine in Złoty Stok. My sister received an offer from Nowa Ruda to do something with the local mining museum, but she was not interested in it and asked if I wanted to take care of it. And that's how it started.
You can therefore think that Barbara Korbas became the owner of the mine by accident. Well, no. — I was born in Lubin, a mining town, in the year when Jan Wyżykowski discovered copper deposits. And I celebrate my name day on December 4, the day of miners' holiday. There couldn't be a coincidence here, he says with a smile.
In each of the four exhibition halls, tourists will learn about a different topic related to the mine
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Quality and authenticity
When Barbara Korbas took over the mine in Nowa Ruda, it was in a terrible condition. — The building was devastated, water was leaking from the roof and we had to put buckets under it, the windows were closed with nails.because that's what miners used to do. It all cost me a lot of stress and a lot of work, but thanks to that, today I am proud of what this museum looks like and how it functions, she says.
As he recalls, the original 10-year lease was shortened. In 2006, when she asked the mayor for a major renovation, the city authorities decided to sell the facility to her because the renovation costs turned out to be too high. And so Barbara Korbas became the owner of the mine.
— While still a tenant, I decided to revive the underground part of the mine. No equipment worked, you could only walk around the workings. Our first task, which I am still proud of, was to launch the underground railway (45 m underground at the deepest point). We also renovated the tracks, purchased new parts, and in April 2003 the railway was operational – explains Mrs. Barbara.
— It is the first underground tourist railway in Poland and the fourth in Europe. Tourists come to us mainly to ride it. This is the original train produced in 1964, which was used by miners underground. In later years, we launched further equipment, including a longwall shearer, a compressed air lamp and underground ventilation. We show tourists what miners had to deal with on a daily basis. And our second biggest attraction is the ghost of the Mine Treasurer, who meets with tourists, scares them a little and makes them laugh a little, he adds.
The fact that tourists are delighted with visits to the former Nowa Ruda mine is evidenced by the ratings on Google: 4.9 out of 2,400 total opinions. — We show the mine as it was. We don't have beautiful white walls or clean wood. We have water dripping, there are rusty elements and we are also praised by tourists for this – says the owner. — We have guests from all over Poland, Europe and the world – I know because I keep statistics on a special map. We don't want to accept 100,000. tourists per year, because it would affect the quality. We accept half as many, but each group enters every half an hour and no one disturbs anyone, he adds.
A facility with an area of 2,000. m was built in 1960, and the current museum also offers visitors an interactive experience that aims to make them aware of how hard and dangerous a miner's work was. Suffice it to say that the Nowa Ruda mine was one of the most dangerous in the world – over 200 years of operation, 1,250 people died there.
In each of the four exhibition halls, tourists will learn about a different topic related to the mine. The first room is about coal – there you can trace the process of its formation, learn about its properties and see its different types. Let us add that anthracite, the best coal in the world, was mined in the mine in Nowa Ruda.
The next room concerns the history of mining. In the third room, tourists learn why the Nowa Ruda mine was one of the most dangerous mines, what the threat of carbon dioxide was and what conditions the miners worked in. The last room is the control room, called the “heart of the mine”. And on the way to the Lech adit you can see the shaft tower of the same name and fans.
The former Nowa Ruda mine – people are the foundation here
— I made the decision to sell already in 2020, but then I only advertised it through private channels. I feel sorry for this mine – admits Barbara Korbas, but immediately adds: – I also feel sorry for my life. After 23 years, and at the age of almost 70, I want to devote myself to my next passion – traveling. I have already visited 107 countries, I still have 90 left.
— The workers are probably not happy that the mine is for sale? – we ask.
– I will surprise you! The decision to sell was made at the suggestion of my employees. They told me to finally start living the way I love, which is traveling the world. This shows what the relationship is between us. By purchasing the mine, the new owner will also take over the well-organized team with which I have been working for 20 years. These are truly gems, they are enthusiasts! Depending on the season, we employ 6 to 10 people, and my management philosophy is to pay well to have the right to demand more. Thanks to this, I achieved 95% work efficiency, from 30%. at the very beginning. We are a great team, says Barbara Korbas.
As he adds, It is not easy to sell the mine, but there is considerable interest in the offer. And for the outgoing owner, the successor's intentions are the most important. – I dream that this will be a man who will replace me with dignity – he says.
Mrs. Barbara expects that the new owner will continue what she started 23 years ago. — I would like it to be a man with imagination. Someone for whom money is important, but not the most important thing. I would like the new owner to promote and continue the 500 years of mining history in the Nowa Ruda region, and not turn this facility into a hotel, for example – says the owner.
And he adds: – Our mine includes, among others: apartment with an area of 200 sq m I lived there for 15 years. The new owner will also have an apartment, he will come back from work in the afternoon and immediately have money. And we have already registered groups of tourists for next year. Dream scenario, right?
