The Great Pit
Coloured rock walls.
Pudelek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · L.G.foto — CC BY-SA 4.0 · L DuncanClegg — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tulipasylvestris — CC0 · Barnos — CC BY-SA 4.0
Falun Mine is a copper mine in the town of Falun in central Sweden that worked for about a thousand years, from the 10th century until 1992. At its height it produced up to two-thirds of Europe's copper. It is now a museum and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Archaeological and geological studies suggest mining began around the year 1000, and the mine was certainly working by 1080. At first local farmers gathered and smelted the ore for their own needs, then nobles and merchants took over in the late 13th century, and the oldest written record of the mine dates from 1288. Techniques developed here shaped mining around the world for two centuries. The highlight is the Great Pit, a vast open crater with stepped rock walls in red, orange and ochre, with narrow roads winding down to the floor. Around it stand red wooden hoisting towers and the yellow museum building with its green roof. Guided tours go down into the old tunnels, which are cold and damp all year, so bring a jacket. The Great Pit can be viewed free from the paths around it.
Coloured rock walls.
Red wooden towers.
Underground tours.
Falun, Dalarna, Sweden
Yes, on a guided tour.
Yes, in the tunnels all year.