Voda a vlnky starého Bardejova - najstarší vodovod na Slovensku
Voda bola vždy jedným z určujúcich faktorov ľudského bytia. Sídliská vznikali spravidla pri výdatných vodných zdrojoch, riekach, jazerách, oázach. Ak veľké osídlenia začali pociťovať jej nedostatok, ľudia už v staroveku budovali zariadenia na jej zachytenie i prepravu.
Bardejovský gravitačný vodovod je najstarší známy vodovod na Slovensku. Jeho vznik úzko súvisí so stavbou mestského opevnenia. Významnú zložku tohto opevnenia tvorili vodné priekopy, ktoré začali stavať v rámci projektu na zdokonalenie obranného zariadenia podľa nariadenia kráľa Žigmunda z roku 1423. Svedčia o tom aj najstaršie písomné doklady. Zo zápisu v počtovej knihe mesta z 8. júna 1426 sa dozvedáme, že mesto zaplatilo za prívod vody do pevnostnej priekopy i za mach na tesnenie rúr. Voda vedená v drevených potrubiach bola zachytávaná z kopca Rúrna na Mihaľove zo šiestich prameňov. Šesť kilometrov drevených rúr spájaných železnými spojkami distribuovalo vodu do jednotlivých častí starého Bardejova. Voda z vodovodu bola aj súčasťou priekop mestského opevnenia. Zo severnej strany bola priekopa napájaná mlynským jarkom, ktorý bol odklonený z rieky Topľa a pomenovaný podľa mlynov, ktoré sa nachádzali na hornej a dolnej strane mesta.
V centre mesta existovalo viacero miest na odber vody. Boli to napr. dve cisterny na námestí, studňa na hornom konci námestia, či studňa na Stöcklovej ulici. Každý majiteľ domu na ulici s vodovodom platil vodný poplatok "Roehrgeld" podľa počtu členov rodiny, dobytka a povahy remeselníckej výroby. Uličný rozvod v historickej časti mesta dokončili v polovici 17. storočia. Koncom 18. storočia z približne 700 domov asi 170 malo úžitok z verejného vodovodu. Vodovodu sa dočkali aj v Bardejovských Kúpeľoch, kde čerpali vodu zo zdroja "Tri studničky" pod Kamennou horou. Meral štyri kilometre.
Na tých úctyhodných 10 km bolo potrebné použiť 2500 kusov štvormetrových drevených rúr z približne 1250 tridsaťročných borovíc, hrubých asi 30 cm. Zhotovovali ich "švidrom" strojového vrtáku na píle pri strednom mlyne. Naposledy sa tu vŕtalo ešte v roku 1954. Zariadenie na vŕtanie rúr je dodnes zachované v skanzene v Bardejovských kúpeľoch. Rúry uložené v hĺbke okolo pol metra vydržali 20-30 rokov.
Nedostatok pitnej vody vyvolal vážne problémy najmä po prvej svetovej vojne. Preto boli nahradené drevené rúry v meste liatinovými. Gravitačný vodovod zanikol v máji 1963, keď si po 540 rokoch Bardejovčania vybudovali nový moderný výtlačný vodovod.
Stredoveký Bardejovský vodovod bol pravdepodobne najdlhšie fungujúcim dreveným gravitačným vodovodom v Európe.
Ku keške:
Úvodné súradnice vás privedú k jednej zo studní, na ktoré bol napojený bardejovský vodovod. Pôvodná hĺbka tzv. „rínkovej“ studne bola AB metrov. Na súradniciach na druhom stanovisku nájdete ďalšiu zo studní súvisiacich so starým vodovodom, ktorá sa nachádza na Stöcklovej ulici. Na studni spočítajte kovové podpery, ktoré držia sklenenú platňu nad otvorom (CD). Cestou na Stöcklovu ulicu si všimnite studňu pred mestskou radnicou. Keška sa nachádza na mieste, pre ktoré bola existencia vodovodu v minulosti mimoriadne dôležitá. Pozor na civilistov, hlavne smerom zhora
Finálne súradnice:
N 49° 17,(AxB)(B+C)(B+5)
E 021° 16,(4+B)(A+B+C)(D)
Water and ripples of the old Bardejov - the oldest water supply in Slovakia
Water has always been one of the most important factors of the human existence. Colonists usually established settlements next to the abundant sources of water such as rivers, lakes and oases. Once the settlements started to sense shortage of water, facilities for gathering and transport of the water were built.
Gravitational water supply of Bardejov was the oldest known water supply in Slovakia. Its origin is closely connected with the construction of the fortification system in Bardejov. Important part of the system was the water moat. Its construction was part of the project, which had been directed to improve the defensive abilities of the town and was granted by the King Sigismund of Luxemburg. From the first written reference mentioned in the town’s accounting records from the 8th of June 1426 is clear, that town had paid for the supply of water to the water moat and also for the moss needed for sealing of the pipes. Water was transferred in wooden pipes and was conducted from the hill Rúrna in Mihaľov from six sources. Six kilometers of pipes were held together by iron joints. Water was distributed to various parts of medieval Bardejov including the moat of the fortification system. From the north, the moat was fed by so-called “mill creek”, which was diverted from Topľa River and got its name after the mills situated in the upper and lower parts of the town.
The center had several places where townspeople could scoop the water any time they needed it. For example, there were two water tanks on the square, a well on the upper side of the square, a well on the Stöckel’s Street and many more. Every citizen, who owned a house on the street which was provided with water supply, had to pay water tax called "Roehrgeld" according to the number of family members, cattle and the sort of handicraft. Water supply in the old town was finished in the middle of 17th century. Of 700 houses, approximately 170 used the service of public water supply in the end of the 18th century. Bardejov Spa also had its own water supply system, which was fed by "Tri studničky" water source under the Kamenná hora (Stony hill). Its length was four kilometers.
For the construction of the remarkable 10 km long system, 2500 pieces of four meters long wooden pipes from 1250 pine trees were needed. Their trunks were 30 cm wide. Pipes were made in one of the town’s lumber-mills, for the last time in 1954. You can still see contemporary drilling machine in the open-air museum in the Bardejov Spa. Water pipes, which were embedded 50 cm deep, held from 20 to 30 years.
Shortage of drinking water caused serious problems for the town, especially after the First World War. This was the reason, why wooden pipes were changed for cast-iron pipes. Activity of the gravitational water supply was discontinued in the May of 1963, when after 540 years people of Bardejov constructed a new, pressure based water supply system.
Medieval water supply of Bardejov was probably the longest serving wooden gravitational water supply in the Europe.
To the cache:
Initial coordinates will bring you to one of the wells connected to the medieval water supply. Original depth of the well was AB meters. On the coordinates of the second stage you can find another one of the wells related to the old water supply, which is located on Stöckel’s Street. Count the number of metal sticks, which are supporting the glass plate above the well’s hole (CD). On the way to Stöckel’s Street, notice another well in front of the town hall. Cache can be found in a place, for which the existence of water supply was especially important. Beware of the civilians, especially from upstairs
Final coordinates:
N 49° 17,(AxB)(B+C)(B+5)
E 021° 16,(4+B)(A+B+C)(D)