Moravian-Silesian Technical Trail | TECHNOTRASA

The Moravian-Silesian Region is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, in the border triangle between Poland and Slovakia. With more than 1.2 million inhabitants, it has the highest population density of any Czech region. The region is rich in mineral resources, especially coal and natural gas, but also other raw materials such as limestone, granite, marble, slate, gypsum, gravel, sand and brick clay.

Minerals have been mined in the region since the Middle Ages. Initially, precious metals were mined, then iron ore, and since the beginning of industrialisation, coal has been the most important raw material mined.

Industrialisation began in the 19th century, when the territory of the present-day Czech Republic was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Moravian-Silesian region developed at that time and is still one of the most important industrial regions in Central Europe.

At its core is the Ostrava-Karviná industrial and mining basin, whose industrial development was linked to the exploitation of local mineral resources, especially high-quality coking coal, and the subsequent development of heavy industrial iron and steel production and metallurgy.

Today, industrial production is no longer focused exclusively on heavy industry. The region is also oriented towards high technology, especially in the fields of information technology, electronics, electrical engineering and car manufacturing.

TECHNOTRASA - Moravian-Silesian Technical Trail
With the project 'TECHNOTRASA - surová krása' ('Technical Route - Rough Beauty'), the 'Moravian-Silesian Tourism' presents the evidence of the rich industrial and technical history of the region as tourist destinations. The virtual route leads to more than 30 technical objects connected with the tradition of mining, metallurgy, railway transport and the automotive industry, but also with fire brigade, brewery, military and agricultural history. The network includes not only the monuments from the time of the Industrial Revolution, but also work and production sites from other eras. It thus offers a varied picture of the heritage from the world of work that is so typical of the region.