Bor District: Mining History, Culture and Landscape

• The Museum of Mining and Metallurgy Bor is in the city centre, in part of the Cultural Centre building.
• Its prehistoric collection comprises more than 2,150 catalogued objects, most of them from excavations in Bor and its surroundings.
• The Površinski kop Bor open-pit mine is ten minutes from the city centre; from Vidikovac viewpoint on its northern edge, you can see across the mine and the small lakes at its bottom.
• Bor Lake is 17 km from Bor. The ski resort on Crni Vrh is about 30 km from Bor.

The Površinski kop Bor open-pit mine was created through copper ore mining in the 20th century. This artificial depression is therefore a visible result of extraction and offers a different perspective on mining history from the collections in the city museum. From Vidikovac, the viewpoint on the northern edge, you can see the structure of the open pit and the colourful small lakes at its bottom. The viewpoint thus offers not only an overview of the mine’s shape, but also of the different hues of the lakes below.

For orientation, two distinct aspects are presented side by side: the museum is in the city centre, while the open-pit mine is ten minutes away. The landscape around the mine adds a spatial perspective to the technical and historical view of mining.

The museum’s prehistoric collection comprises more than 2,150 catalogued objects. Most come from archaeological excavations in Bor and its surroundings. This gives the collection a close connection to the region: alongside the number of objects, their provenance also offers a clue to local prehistory.

A museum park featuring an exhibition on mining, metallurgy and mechanical engineering opened in 1997. These three themes highlight different areas of technology. The Bakar art colony adds another cultural dimension with its permanent exhibition of contemporary bronze sculptures.

The Vlaški kutak exhibition focuses on the Vlachs from the areas around Bor, Negotin and Majdanpek. It features folk costumes and also covers life-cycle customs, including birth, marriage and funeral rites. In this way, technical collection themes and cultural traditions are presented as distinct areas of focus within the museum.

Bor Zoo was established on 8 December 2011. It has about 60 animal species and more than 100 animals. This adds a distinct zoological focus to the themes of mining, technology and culture. These figures indicate the zoo’s size without detailing its individual species or animals.

Brestovačka Banja is also part of the area’s history. It is home to a hammam thought to date from the Turkish period. The Konak kneza Miloša, built in 1837, is also located there; it is a notable example of Serbian civil architecture from the first half of the 19th century. The hammam’s dating is explicitly tentative, while the construction date and architectural classification of the Konak are stated more precisely.

Bor Lake lies at the foot of Crni Vrh and 17 km from Bor. The ski resort on Crni Vrh is about 30 km from Bor. The lake is therefore the closer of these two destinations; the distances offer an initial sense of location to help with planning.

The ski resort’s seasonal operations may vary. If you want to make it a firm part of your travel plans, check the conditions in advance. The lake and the ski resort suit different interests; which stop fits your plans depends on what you are looking for in the area.

Discover more destinations: Kladusnica, Grabovica, Rajac, Mala Vrbica, Donji Milanovac, Negotin, Majdanpek, Kostol.

What topics does the museum park cover?

The exhibition, which opened in 1997, focuses on mining, metallurgy and mechanical engineering.

What does the Vlaški kutak exhibition show?

It features Vlach folk costumes from the areas around Bor, Negotin and Majdanpek, as well as customs related to birth, marriage and funeral rites.

How far are Bor Lake and the ski resort from Bor?

Bor Lake is 17 km away; the ski resort on Crni Vrh is about 30 km away. The ski resort’s operations may vary seasonally.

To the overarching travel overview: Bor District.