Starachowice: Discover Industrial Heritage, Water and Trails

A trip to Starachowice can revolve around industrial heritage, walking trails and water activities. Starachowice lies on the northern edge of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The picturesque valley of the Kamienna River runs through the town, which is surrounded by an extensive forest area.

Industrial history and collections

The Muzeum Przyrody i Techniki im. Jana Pazdura in Starachowice houses the Zespół Wielkopiecowy, which dates from the late 19th century. It has been preserved as a complete technological process for ironworks. The blast furnace complex is the only fully preserved technological line of its kind in Europe.

The museum’s collections include trucks produced by the Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych STAR. These include the Popemobile and the STAR 266R, which took part in the 10th Paris–Dakar Rally in 1988. The museum thus offers a look at both the history of ironworking technology and vehicles produced by STAR.

A paleontological exhibition is on display in the historic building of the former boiler house, now the museum’s “Kino Kotłownia”. It features animal tracks from the Permian, Triassic and Jurassic periods; the animals lived in the area of today’s Holy Cross Mountains. Before your trip, check whether the exhibition is currently being presented in this form.

Port Lubianka and walking trails

At Port Lubianka in Starachowice, sailboats, boats, pedal boats and kayaks take to the water; wakeboarding is also available. The availability of individual watercraft may change. If you are planning a particular activity, check in advance which watercraft are on offer.

The blue “Śladami górników” walking trail 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 to ul. Krywki. Along the trail is a viewing platform overlooking the main ridge area of the Holy Cross Mountains, including Łysica at 612 m above sea level and Święty Krzyż.

The yellow walking trail starts at a turning loop on ul. Myśliwska, on the east side of Zalew Lubianka. It is about 7.5 kilometres long, runs along the southern side of the reservoir and leads to Langiewicz’s camp. The blue trail is notable for starting next to the museum and offering a viewpoint; the yellow trail provides additional points of reference in its approximate length, lakeside route and destination.

Another marked route is the black hiking trail, which starts at Starachowice Zachodnie railway and bus station and reaches the Wykus clearing. The routes offer different reference points for planning, from the viewpoint and the route along Zalew Lubianka to a clearly named destination.

The narrow-gauge railway

The Starachowicka Kolej Wąskotorowa resumed tourist services on the Starachowice Wschodnie Wąskotorowe–Lipie route on 8 May 2004. During the tourist season, the railway operates on the Starachowice–Lipie and Iłża–Marcule sections. Scheduled services on the Starachowice–Lipie section are to be provided once repair work is complete. Check the timetable for this section before planning your trip.

Church, cemetery and getting oriented

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Starachowice was founded in 1681. It is a three-nave church built of sandstone. The Jewish cemetery in Starachowice was established towards the end of the 19th century and was in use until 1946; it is one of the largest in the region. These two sites add further historical perspectives on the town to its technological and industrial history.

For geographical reference, Starachowice lies on National Road 42 between Namysłów and Rudnik. The town is also the starting point for provincial roads 744 between Radom and Starachowice, and 756 between Starachowice and Stopnica.

Discover more destinations: Wielka Wieś, Ambrożów, Jabłonna, Tarczek, Grabków

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