Parco Minerario Naturalistico di Gavorrano

Gavorrano Natural Mining Park


Useful Information

Location: In the valley below the village Gavorrano. At the road to Filare.
Open: FEB Sun 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
MAR Fri-Sun 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
APR Tue-Sun 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
MAY Tue-Sat 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
JUN to AUG daily 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
SEP Tue-Sun 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
OCT Fri-Sun 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
NOV to DEC Sun, Hol 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
26-DEC to 31-DEC daily 9:45-13:15, 15:45-19:15.
[2010]
Fee: Adults EUR 10, Children (9-17) EUR 8, Children (0-8) free.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 8, School Children EUR 4.
[2022]
Classification: MineIron Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Parco Minerario Naturalistico di Gavorrano, Piazza del Minatore, Gavorrano, Tel: 0566-846231, Fax: 0566-844381. E-mail: contact
Parco Tecnologico e Archeologico delle Colline Metallifere Grossetane, Piazza Dante 35, Grosseto, Tel: 0564-484343, Fax: 0564-411767. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1898 begin of mining.
1981 mining ended.
2003 mining park inaugurated.

Geology

The mined ore is pyrite (FeS2). The iron ore reached the surface where it oxidized and became limonite.

Description

The area of Mount Calvo (468 m asl) is located in the middle of the Toscana (Tuscany), an area which is called Maremma. Around the village Gavorrano lies a mining field which was mined for almost a century, between 1898 and 1981. It has now been developed for tourism under the name Parco Minerario Naturalistico di Gavorrano (Gavorrano Natural Mining Park). This park includes various open cast mines, outlooks and museums.

The Pozzo di Roma is the main shaft, with its huge iron head frame. It is located in the valley below the town. Most of the iron ores from the mine were lifted to the surface here. It is possible to visit the surface installations but not to enter the mine.

The Museo della Miniera (Mining Museum) is located 250 m east of the head frame in former mining buildings of the Miniera di Gavorrano. This is the place were mining started in 1898, when Francesco Alberti and three other villagers started to mine an outcrop of limonite. They built the first mine tunnel and started the local pyrite mining. At its end in 1981 the mining areas at Rigoloccio, Ravi, and Valmaggiore were connected by a vast system of underground tunnels. The museum is located mostly underground, the tunnel was transformed into a multimedia show depicting the daily work of a miner in the 1960s.

The Centro Documentazione e Ricerca della Miniera (Documentation and Research Center for Mining), the Centro Documentazione "Davide Manni" (Documentation Center "Davide Manni"), the and the Museo Archeologico (Archaeologic Museum) are located in the Castel di Pietra (Castle of the Rock) in the Medieval town Gavorrano. It was named after Davide Manni, the late mayor of the municipality, who was very interested in archaeology and who created the archaeological exhibition.

Ravi Marchi is the area where the pyrite ore from the mine was processed. The open air museum shows the machinery necessary for crushing and processing the ore. The plant was open between 1910 and 1965 and belonged to the family Marchi, a family from northern Tuscany. This is exceptional as all other mining related sites belonged to Montecatini. The plant employed at its heyday several hundred miners, workers and technicians.