Incredible mining history
The town of Falun is best known for its old copper mining industry. This part of the town’s history may date back as far back as 1000 AD, but certainly from as early as the mid-13th century people had started to search for valuable rocks around Falun.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Falun mine, known as “the Great Copper Mountain”, was one of the world’s largest copper mines and one of Sweden’s largest workplaces, making Falun the second largest town in Sweden after Stockholm in those days. The mine was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 for its importance to the history of mining technology. During its staggering thousand-year period of use, from the 10th century up until 1992, it supplied the whole of Europe with up to one-third of its copper needs!
The Dalarna Museum in Falun is a must for anyone visiting the province of Dalarna, a unique part of Sweden where traditional meets industrial. The museum is a reflection of the region’s cultural heritage and distinct history, and with its varied collections of Swedish folk art, music and costumes and its ever-changing art and craft exhibits it’s possible to get a deeper understanding for the rest of your stay in the country.
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