Kosárna

Kosárna is a historic scythe-forge in Karlovice, in Czech Silesia, and one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in the country. This timber-framed, two-storey structure has stood beside a stream since around 1600 and now houses a museum devoted to the region's craft traditions and forestry.

What exactly is this place?

The building's story begins around 1600, when a water-powered hammer mill (hamr) was built here for processing iron. Between 1645 and 1725 it belonged to a princely ironworks. As iron production in hammer mills declined across the region, the site passed into the hands of Jan Michal Hartel, a scythe maker who expanded the building and turned it into a workshop producing scythes, sickles, agricultural tools and wire. That trade gave the building its name — Kosárna, roughly "the scythe house."

Architecturally, it is a two-storey timber-framed structure with a layout found nowhere else so well preserved in the region — the only surviving example of an industrial building type once typical of Czech Silesia. Because of this rarity, Kosárna holds the status of a national cultural monument.

What will you see inside?

The exhibition spreads across several floors and buildings. The ground floor recreates the former owners' living quarters — a bedroom and living room — alongside a hunting room connected to a study, and a period kitchen. Upstairs, a forestry exhibition traces the history of woodland management: cultivation, protection and timber harvesting, as well as hunting practices from past centuries to the present day.

In the barn next to the main building, visitors can browse a collection of agricultural tools and implements that illustrate everyday rural life and work of past generations. A newer addition is the blacksmith's forge exhibit, featuring an interactive 1:3 scale model of a forge hammer that visitors can operate themselves by turning a crank.

Outside, look out for a Francis impulse turbine dating from the first half of the 20th century, plus a set of 17th-century boundary stones that once marked the edges of the former Bruntál estate.

How do you get there?

Karlovice lies in the Bruntál district of the Moravian-Silesian Region, on the fringe of the Jeseníky mountains. The village is easy to reach by car or by train — Karlovice has its own railway station on the line connecting Bruntál with the wider Jeseníky area, which makes Kosárna a convenient stop for anyone exploring this part of Czechia by rail.

When should you visit?

Like many small regional museums, Kosárna operates on a seasonal schedule, so it's worth checking current opening hours before setting off — the site underwent repairs following flood damage, which may affect visitor access for a period. Spring and summer are the easiest seasons to combine a visit to Kosárna with hiking on the surrounding Jeseníky trails.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is Kosárna? It's a former water-powered forge from around 1600 that was later converted into a scythe and agricultural-tool workshop. Today the building is a museum and holds national cultural monument status.

Who originally ran the workshop? From 1725, the site was run by Jan Michal Hartel, a scythe maker who expanded the former iron hammer mill and began producing scythes and farm tools there.

What can you see besides the museum interiors? Outdoors, you'll find a Francis impulse turbine from the early 20th century and 17th-century boundary stones that once marked the edges of the Bruntál estate.

Is it worth combining with other regional attractions? Yes — Karlovice sits at the edge of the Jeseníky mountains, so a visit to Kosárna pairs easily with hiking trails or other technical monuments in the Bruntál district.