Sala Silver Mine

Sweden'S Great Silver Mine Of The 16th 17th Centuries, With Guided Tours Underground And A Hotel Suite Said To Be The Deepest In The World · Sala, Vastmanland County

Sala Silver Mine (Sala silvergruva) on the edge of the small town of Sala in Vastmanland was Sweden's most important source of silver in the 16th and 17th centuries, often described as the kingdom's treasure chest. Gustav Vasa and his successors took much of its output, and the silver paid for coins, crowns and wars. Mining is said to have gone on here from at least the 15th century until silver working ended in the early 20th century. Today the surface buildings, shafts and waste heaps form a museum site, and guided tours take visitors down into the old workings, to about 60 m on the standard tour and deeper on longer ones, where it is cold, around 2 C all year. The mine is also famous for a suite at about 155 m, said to be the world's deepest hotel room. Around the town runs a system of dams and canals built to power the mine. The honest caveat: this is a small-town, half-day visit for people who like mines and history, and it is cold and damp underground.

Sala silvergruva, Drottning Christinas vag, on the south-west edge of Sala, Sala, Vastmanland County, Sweden

The surface area, with the shaft houses, the old waste heaps and the walking paths, can usually be walked at any time of year and is free. Underground tours run all year, most often daily in summer, roughly late June to mid-August, and on fewer days - often weekends and school holidays - the rest of the year; longer, deeper tours run on set days only. Confirm the current schedule before you travel, as times change by season. Tours are small and fill in July, so book online through the mine's own booking before you go. The mine suite at about 155 m is booked separately and often months ahead - confirm it still runs. Getting there: Sala has a station on the lines from Vasteras and Uppsala, reached by regional trains and some SJ services; the mine is on the south-west edge of town, roughly 2 km or a 25-30 minute walk from the station. By car it is about 40 km from Vasteras, 60 km from Uppsala and 120 km from Stockholm, with parking at the mine.

Sala Silver Mine on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos