Starachowice: Blast Furnace History, Water and Trails

Water and trails in Starachowice

Port Lubianka is in the south of Starachowice. Sailboats, boats, pedal boats and kayaks take to the water there, and wakeboarding is also available. The activities range from leisurely outings on the water to a more active water sport. If you are visiting for a particular type of watercraft, check its availability in advance: the equipment on offer may change.

The blue walking trail “Śladami górników” (In the Footsteps of Miners) starts at the car park on ul. Marszałka Piłsudskiego, next to the entrance to the Muzeum Przyrody i Techniki. It first follows ul. Marszałka Piłsudskiego and then turns onto ul. Krywki. Along the trail, there is a viewing platform overlooking the main ridge of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, including Łysica (612 m above sea level) and Święty Krzyż. The trail thus connects a specific starting point in Starachowice with a view of the surrounding mountain landscape.

In the wider Starachowice destination, the yellow walking trail runs along the southern side of Zalew Lubianka and leads to Langiewicz’s camp. It starts at a turning loop on ul. Myśliwska on the east side of the reservoir and is about 7.5 kilometres long. The black hiking trail offers a different route: it starts at Starachowice Zachodnie railway and bus station and reaches the Wykus clearing. These starting points and destinations give you different ways to choose walking routes and hiking destinations according to your interests.

Blast furnace history and special collections

The Muzeum Przyrody i Techniki im. Jana Pazdura houses the Zespół Wielkopiecowy, dating from the late 19th century and preserved as a complete technological production line of ironworks equipment. In the wider Starachowice destination, this blast furnace complex is the only fully preserved line of its kind in Europe. This makes it a distinctive point of interest for anyone interested in industrial history and the technology behind iron processing.

The museum also displays a collection of trucks produced by Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych STAR. These include the Popemobile and the STAR 266R, which took part in the 10th Paris–Dakar Rally in 1988. These vehicles reveal another side of technological history: alongside the ironworks equipment, visitors can see specific vehicles and their connection to automobile production.

A palaeontological exhibition featuring animal tracks from the Permian, Triassic and Jurassic periods is on display in the historic building of the former boiler house, now the museum’s “Kino Kotłownia.” The animals lived in the area of what is now the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. Before your trip, it is advisable to check whether the exhibition is currently on display.

Narrow-gauge railway and city history

The Starachowicka Kolej Wąskotorowa resumed tourist services on the Starachowice Wschodnie Wąskotorowe–Lipie route on 8 May 2004. During the tourist season, it operates on the Starachowice–Lipie and Iłża–Marcule sections. Timetabled services on the Starachowice–Lipie section are to be provided once repair work is complete. Check the timetable before travelling, especially for this section; the historical date on which services resumed does not indicate whether a particular service is running today.

The city’s building history offers another point of interest. In the wider Starachowice destination, the Church of the Holy Trinity was founded in 1681. It is a three-aisled sandstone building. The Jewish cemetery in Starachowice was established towards the end of the 19th century, was in use until 1946 and is one of the largest in the region. Together, these places reflect different periods in the city’s history, from the early foundation of the church to the cemetery’s documented use in the 20th century.

Starachowice in its regional setting

In the wider Starachowice destination, the city lies on the northern edge of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The picturesque Kamienna River valley runs through Starachowice, and a continuous forest area surrounds the city. This landscape provides the regional setting for views of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and the trails described above.

For a general overview, Starachowice is on National Road 42 between Namysłów and Rudnik. The voivodeship roads 744 between Radom and Starachowice and 756 between Starachowice and Stopnica also start here. This helps you understand the road network without giving information about journey times or current road conditions.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Starachowice, you can use your interests to help you decide: are you more drawn to water activities, industrial history, or walking and hiking trails?

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