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Szkolna, Wieś Kleszczów
The viewpoint in Kleszczów lies on the edge of the excavation of the Bełchatów Lignite Mine, in the Bełchatów district. It is one of the few places where you can take in the scale of opencast mining from close up, and the scale here is truly exceptional.
The pit is about two hundred metres deep, nearly eight kilometres long and three kilometres wide. Next to it works a lignite-fired power station whose chimneys reach around three hundred metres and are visible from many kilometres away.
From the platform you get a good view of the working terraces descending in cascades into the pit, the conveyor belts and the machines in operation. From above the equipment looks miniature, although in reality the excavators and spreaders are among the largest land machines in the world. Bring binoculars, because only then do the proportions become clear.
Several similar terraces have been arranged along the edge of the pit, a few kilometres apart; each shows the mine from a slightly different perspective.
This is an attraction for anyone curious about industry and technology, and at the same time a good visual lesson for children. The visit is short, so it is easy to weave into a drive across central Poland without upsetting the plan for the day.
The simplest approach is from the village of Żłobnica, a few minutes east of Kleszczów. The area around the mine belongs to an industrial plant, so access is sometimes restricted. Keep to the marked viewpoints and do not step beyond the designated areas.
