Halda Ema

Did you know that Ostrava has its own "active" volcano? Yes! Halda Ema, which is still smouldering and in its interior we could measure up to 1,500°C! On its reddish peak at 315 m above sea level you will have the whole city and its surroundings in the palm of your hand!

The cone-shaped heap was formed by heaping waste rock from Ostrava’s Trojice mine. Its origins date back to the early 20th century. In the 1960s, the core of the heap caught fire and is still burning today. Thanks to the high temperature, new rare minerals are being formed inside the hill and the heat emanating from the hill gives it a subtropical climate. There is no snow on the mound, thermophilic plants grow here and there is also steppe fauna! The whitish clouds of gases, mainly containing sulphur dioxide, that rise from the mountain make Ema a magical place…

You can reach its top by following an educational trail mapping the mining history of the town. It starts at the tram stop at Černá louka behind the theatre and leads you along the footbridge over the Ostravice River, past the Silesian Ostrava Castle and through the streets of charming Silesian Ostrava.

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