Unique Things to Do In Ostrava
Overview of Ostrava
Ostrava is a prominent industrial-heritage city found in the northwestern portion of the Czech Republic. The area was once a massive coal mining nexus with a dense urban sprawl. It has access to various rivers and artificial cave systems.
Ostrava’s mining and industrial culture is prominent throughout the region. Expansive coal mines, decommissioned mining sites, large, inert blast furnaces and old steelwork factories define the city.
Overall, Ostrava is a nice, somewhat small city. Visitors can usually walk through town in four hours or so with excess time being used to explore the nearby countryside.
Unique Things to Do in Ostrava
Dolni Vitkovice
This is the most famous example of Ostrava’s industrial heritage. The site is a unique walking street in Ostrava, with numerous cafés and shops. However, the most important features are enormous steelworks and iron mining zones converted into artworks, preserved heritage sites and tourism attractions.
Landek Park Mining
Located slightly north of the city, this park contains a network of underground caverns which highlight Ostrava’s history as a mining community. The old coal mining facility offers additional exhibits on the history of coal extraction.
Masaryk Park
This small plaza space is the operational and tourism heart of Ostrava’s Old Town. The area is surrounded by nice buildings, a few statues and a series of restaurants.
Museum Masaryk
Located in in the center of Ostrava, this is a pleasant museum with a wide variety of artifacts and science collections. The museum display includes prehistoric archeological findings from various mines, historical pieces exemplifying the histroy of Ostrava, ethnographic objects, native beetles, butterflies, minerals, herbs, animals and plants and a rich library full of ancient texts. The most iconic piece of the museum is the unique interior astronomical clock and a 200 year-old orchestrion.
Ostrava Zoo
This small zoo is found within a park to the East of the downtown area. The zoo has a fair amount of fame as the only location where the Southern Tree Hyrax (a small, squirrel-like creature) has been bred in captivity.
Silesian Ostrava Castle
This 13th century, white-walled castle is a stately building complex located to the East of Ostrava. The structures is steadily sinking due to the vast network of mining shafts and tunnels networked underground in the area. The castle complex was originally built for its proximity to the Polish boarder
Bolt Tower Café
Bolt Tower is a tall building with one of the highest viewing points overlooking Ostrava. The upper portion has been converted into a café people can visit while enjoying a cup of coffee.
Halda Ema/Ema Mound
An artificial mound of earth and slag materials still burning and smoldering on the interior. The sweeping hill has views overlooking a park area and the lower city. There are portions of the mound which still emit hot gases.
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