The Brennerštôlniansky tajch (a historic mining reservoir), also known as Brennerský, lies in the Grunthal valley above Banská Hodruša and stands out from all the other tajchs in the Štiavnica Mountains in two respects: it has the most massive dam in relation to the volume of water it holds, and it is one of the oldest tajchs in the whole area.
It is named after the Brenner mining company, which for more than 500 years was one of the most important mining enterprises in the entire Štiavnica–Hodruša mining district. The first written record of the company dates from 1519, when Hans Brenner owned a mine and a smelter in Hodruša. The first direct written mention of the Brenner tajch dates from 1584, and it was last repaired in 1811.
In the lower third of the dam you can make out the line of the Royal Ditch (also called Michalský or Planierung), which runs from Hornohodrušský tajch and looks like a ‘level footpath’. Until the 1960s the tajch was a favourite swimming spot for the children of Hodruša. Today it only fills with water when the snow melts or after prolonged rain, and it is overgrown with willows and shrubs.
