The Bellmunt Mining Museum occupies the industrial and metallurgical complex of the Mina Eugènia, the largest and most important lead (galena) mine in the Priorat. Exploitation dates back at least to Roman times (documented from 210 BCE) and continued through the medieval period, though modern-era extraction did not begin until 1873, following the chance discovery of galena on farmland. The company Minas del Priorat S.A. was formed in 1916 and built a workers' housing colony between 1915 and 1920. The complex reached about 620 m deep and closed in 1972.
The visit, always guided, includes a descent by the miners' emergency staircase to a gallery about 35 m down and a walk through some 700 m of 19th-century galleries. A landmark is the Casa de les Mines (1905), the Modernista administration building. The museum, open since December 2002, is part of the mNACTEC network.
Many miners came from Andalusia to fill labor needs, while the local population preferred surface jobs such as foundry work, which paid better and offered four-hour shifts compatible with farm work.
- Best forfamilies, industrial-heritage, history, guided-tours, architecture
- OpeningVisita sempre guiada (~45 min) amb baixada a les galeries; cal reserva prèvia. Museu + mina 8 € (reduïda 6 €, especial 5 €); només museu 3 € (reduïda 2 €); gratuït per a menors de 8 anys, Club Súper3 i socis ICOM. Horaris de setembre a juny: dissabtes 11-13h i 16-18h (visita guiada a les 16:30h), diumenges i festius 11-13h, entre setmana només amb reserva prèvia. Juliol-agost: de dimarts a dissabte 11-13h i 17-19h, diumenges i festius 11-13h. Tancat del 24 de desembre al 15 de gener.
- Price€
- AddressCarretera de la Mina, s/n, 43738 Bellmunt del Priorat
- Phone+34 977 830 578
Imatge: minesbellmunt.com
Sources: minesbellmunt.com · es.wikipedia.org · turismepriorat.org
Last updated: August 2026