The mine that put Priorat on the map

The Mines de Bellmunt del Priorat, located in the Priorat municipality of Bellmunt del Priorat, Spain, were first known and exploited centuries ago. In the 1910s, control of the mine was taken over by Minas del Priorato, S.A, in operation until 1972. Through the Federico shaft, Mina Regia controlled three ancient mines: Volante, Perrisona, and Campana, all situated away from the village. The Mines de Bellmunt del Priorat's complex includes the extraction shaft, various crushers, washers, and processing machinery.

The main structure is the tower of the shaft and two adjacent buildings, now abandoned and in ruins. The Administrator's House, constructed in 1905, originally served as the local office of the company. Upon the mine's closure in 1972, it was sold to individual buyers, who transformed it into second homes. Today, the Mines de Bellmunt del Priorat are protected as cultural assets of local interest, making for an intriguing visit.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons