Water reservoirs – in old and local dialect called „tajchy“

During the 17th and 18th centuries extraction in deeper ore sources appeared inevitable and human or animal power was not sufficient any more for running extraction and pumping devices and water was proved the only alternative of fuel. The natural surroundings of Banská Štiavnica did not hold the sufficient source of water energy so the system of artificial water reservoirs was designed accumulating rain water and consequently its energetic potential was used for running mining and processing devices.
The first attempts to build up artificial water reservoirs starts already in the early 16th century but only in the early 18th century the region witnessed a wider development  and the creation of the unique water management system which preserved mining in Banská Štiavnica but also meant mining pumping technique was a model for other mining regions in the world.
Compared to the past when water reservoirs were built and used in mining and became a part of mining system, recently they are used for bathing, as a source of industrial water and water reservoir Rozgrund as a source of drinking water for Banská Štiavnica.
Source: www.banskastiavnica.sk
Out of 24 water reservoirs we record and describe 15 in our project – they are the water reservoirs situated close to bike trails of "Bajkom k tajchom" - „To Tajchs by Bikes“.