From mine to a world heritage city
A world heritage site is a place that bears witness to the history of the earth and man in a truly unique way. One of these places is now Falun Mine, the town of Falun and the surrounding landscape of the master miners.
Since 2001, the world heritage site Falun has been on the UN agency UNESCO’s prestigous list. Other Swedish world heritage sites are Drottningholm Palace and the High Coast. Among famous world heritage sites in the world are the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China and Taj Mahal.
In December 1992 the last salvo put an end to hundreds of years of uninterupted mining at Falun Mine. At the same time, it was the start of the transformation into a modern visitor destination with world heritage status.
Falun Mine has shaped Sweden
Falun Mine has been part of shaping the modern Swedish industrial society. That conclusion is the basis for the justification when Falun was designated a world heritage city.
When the mining was at its peak, in the middle of the 17th century, almost all the copper in Europe came from Falun. At that time, the city was one of Sweden’s largest with world-leading skills in technology and engineering.
To this day, there are many places and buildings preserved at the mine, in the town and the surrounding landscape of the Masters Miners – the three parts that make up the Falun World Heritage Site.
Your guide to the World Heritage
The World Heritage Site of Falun was inaugurated by the Swedish king Carl XVI Gustaf in 2001. The World Heritage House at Falun Mine was built at the same time and today serves as a signpost to the Falun World Heritage Site. In the building there is, among other things, an overview map that guides our visitors to the other parts of the world heritage: Stabergs Mine Owner´s estate, Stora Hyttnäs in Sundborn, the house where Carl von Linné got married and Dalarnas museum.
