Francisc Shaft (Șaftul Francisc) lies in the north-western part of the town, on the right slope of the Borcut Valley, at an elevation of +465 m, and was sunk in 1831–1835. It was used both to hoist ore and to pump out water. It worked with a hydraulic hoisting installation powered by water brought from Chiuzbaia (from Valea Tulbure) along the Western Canal; at the end of the 19th century this was replaced by a steam engine.
The shaft buildings were set on fire in January 1921, together with those of the stamp mills at the mouth of Valea Tulbure.
On the surface you can see the ruins of the building, with part of the stone masonry still standing.
The Mines Park
Since 2025, Dealul Minei has been part of the Mines Park (Parcul Minelor) — 80 hectares of forest designated as a forest park and laid out by Baia Sprie Town Hall as Romania's first mining theme park. The old mine workings, viewpoints and geological sites are linked by marked themed trails.
What remains today
What is left of the shaft buildings are ruins and part of the stone masonry, visible from the trail. The hydraulic hoisting installation, powered by water brought from Chiuzbaia along the Western Canal, was a remarkable technical solution for the first half of the 19th century: the power of water lifted both the ore and the water seeping in underground. Its replacement by a steam engine at the end of the 19th century marks the moment mining here entered the industrial age.
Getting there
Francisc Shaft gives its name to one of the three marked trails in the Mines Park. The starting point is the car park at the end of Crișan Street, where the information point and park map are located. Details at parculminelor.ro.
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