1313 ES/SI - Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija (2012)

Brief Description

"The property includes the mining sites of Almadén, where mercury (quicksilver) has been extracted since Antiquity, and Idrija, where mercury was first found in 1490 A.D. The Spanish property includes buildings relating to its mining history, including Retamar Castle, religious buildings and traditional dwellings. The site in Idrija notably features mercury stores and infrastructure, as well as miners’ living quarters, and a miners’ theatre. The sites bear testimony to the intercontinental trade in mercury which generated important exchanges between Europe and America over the centuries. The two sites represent the two largest mercury mines in the world and were operational until recent times."

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1313

Spain

1313rev-001     Almadén- Old Town
1313rev-002     Mina del Castillo Buildings
1313rev-003     Royal Forced Labour Gaol
1313rev-004     San Rafael Royal Hospital for Miners
1313rev-005     Bullring
Slovenia

1313rev-006     Idrija – Old Town
1313rev-007     Idrija – Smelting Plant
1313rev-008     Idrija – Kamšt water pump with the Rake water channel and Kobila dam
1313rev-009     Gorenja Kanomilja – Kanomilja or Ovcjak Water Barrier
1313rev-010     Vojsko – Idrijca Water Barrier
1313rev-011     Idrijska Bela – Putrih’s Water Barrier on the Belca creek
1313rev-012     Idrijska Bela – Belca Water Barrier on the Belca creek (or Brus`s Water Barrier)

Courtesy of famalubel from Spain

1313rev-002 Almadén

Courtesy of Vesna74 from Slovenia

1313rev-006 Idrija – Old Town

1313rev-008 Idrija – Kamšt water pump with the Rake water channel and Kobila dam

 

1313rev-009 Gorenja Kanomilja – Kanomilja or Ovcjak Water Barrier

Lower left 1313rev-006     Idrija – Old Town
Lower Right  1313rev-012   Idrijska Bela – Brus`s Water Barrier