FamxplorIdrija Mercury Mine
What to expect
The Idrija Mercury Mine is a historic mining site in Slovenia that bears testimony to the intercontinental trade in mercury, which generated important exchanges between Europe and America over the centuries. The site features mercury stores and infrastructure, as well as miners' living quarters and a miners' theatre. It is one of the two largest mercury mines in the world, along with the Almadén mine in Spain, and was operational until recent times. Visitors can explore the technical remains of the mine shafts, galleries, and surface facilities, and see artefacts specific to the extraction of mercury-bearing ores. The site also includes significant urban, monumental, and infrastructure elements
Plan your family visit to the Idrija Mercury Mine with these blog insights 👇
Slovenia with children: mountains and caves and friendly people
Activities: We visited the town which was formerly the center of the second-largest mercury mine in the world. The museum was there, but the Wilde See was a bit more interesting
Highlights: The museum was interesting for adults, but the Wilde See was more exciting, because it gets activated by an underground spring after heavy rains ✨
Idrija: Fascinating Mercury in the Middle of Nature
Activities: We visited the museum housed in a kind of castle. We saw the exhibition of the second largest mercury mine in Europe and also the display of the traditional bobbin lace making. We observed the mercury in a pool, including a cannonball
Highlights: We were all fascinated by the pool with the mercury, with the floating cannonball. We learned a lot about the mercury mining and its use. The display of bobbin lace making was also very interesting ✨