The underground hides unique exhibits – elements of the V-1 missile and V-2 rocket, a German radar, and even the German enigma.

Kamienna Góra is located in Lower Silesia, halfway between Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra. During World War II, this mysterious town was riddled with underground complexes like Swiss cheese with holes. Today, we know about ten underground facilities located in various parts of the town. They were dug by the Germans (or rather forced labourers) to house the design offices and factories producing aerial structures and weapons. At that time, Kamienna Góra was one of the centres of German aerial technology – the former textile factories housed, inter alia, the design office of ARADO company, which constructed the most famous jet of World War II – Arado 234 Lightning and the mythical airplane Arado 555.

More information you will find at: http://projektarado.pl/

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Although the urianium mining was top secret for many decades, the mine became a little more public after a radon therapy tunnel was opened. Named Sztolnie Kowary (Kowarian Tunnel) it was the core of the Cieplice Health Resort. It was one of only three radon therapy centres in Europe at this time.

Radon is a natural gas, belonging to the Edelgas, and it generally does not react very easy. Natural radon has a very low radioactivity and is thus not really healthy. As it is not incorporated there are no dangers of contamination, but on the other hand the radioactivity is the only scientifically accepted effect on the body. Obviously the healing effects of radon are very dubious. However, postulated dangers of radon are exaggerated and there is definitely no danger to visitors or patients.

A real danger exists nearby. The mined ore was milled and leached in an uranium mill to extract the uranium. The tailings were pumped as sludges into a sedimentation pond, where they are until today. The seepage water is a continuous hazard to ground and surface waters.

The mine itself is today converted into a tourist attraction. The long tour through one of the adits is a sort of multimedia museum with diaramas of the local mining history. Since 700 years iron ore was mined in the area. At this time the uranium was not know and not used.

Mines in Kowary – one of tunnels, Poland
Author : Monopol
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mines_in_Kowary_tunnel.JPG

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