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Selmecbánya |
From the seventeenth century
on, Selmecbánya (now Banská tiavnica) and its vicinity (in
old Northern Hungary) was a significant mining and metal processing
centre. Water was and is important in mining, in that it had
to be brought to the surface where it was a godsend, used
for operating equipment. Too much or too little water caused
equally large problems. To get around these, the decision
was made to build a water management system in the early 1700s,
involving the construction of a huge water reservoir. Sámuel
Mikoviny had a significant role in the final workings
of this grandiose project. In its time this construction was
unique, it included 16 ponds with 7 million cubic meters of
water. A system of almost 130 km of drains was used for nearly
200 years afterwards.
The institute for the training
of miners and foundrymen was established in 1735, the first
of its kind anywhere. In 1770 it was upgraded to a tertiary
institution.
The first international scientific congress on mining was
held near Selmecbánya in September 1786. Here was established
the world's first international technological and scientific
society (Societat der Bergbaukunde).
The city and the water management system
is a significant monument and has been a World Heritage site
since 1993.
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