The Province of Sondrio is taking part for the first time in the National Mines Day, which this year has reached its 7th edition.
A major cultural event promoted by the the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) involving areas of well-known geological and mining importance: the VALCHIAVENNA, BREGAGLIA and VALMALENCO.
The event aims to publicise the value and cultural significance of geological tourism and encourage the use of the geological and mining heritage.
Pot making.
As regards local events, the National Mines Day will be an opportunity to focus on a geological and cultural-historical area,
which has always significantly influenced the human and productive activities to excavate and work the soapstone in these areas.
The Region of Lombardy, together with the Municipalities in the areas involved, is currently considering the historic geological sites of soapstone in the Valchiavenna,
Bregaglia and Valmalenco, with their centuries-old production, for a formal recognition as a geological-mining Park.
The topic of particular geological, cultural and tourism interest will be the subject of a conference to be held during this event,
"The identification of a soapstone geo-mining park for Valchiavenna – Bregaglia – Valmalenco".
The National Mines Day will take place over two days:
Friday 29 May Valchiavenna - Bregaglia
Saturday 30 May Valmalenco
Drawing of a lathe.
The programme envisages numerous events open to a wide public and will provide an opportunity to get schoolchildren to discover the geological and cultural heritage of the places in which they live.
There will be guided tours of the soap stone quarries and ancient lathes and of the talc mines, historic tours linked to the use of soapstone in art and architecture,
concerts in the mine, tastings of traditional dishes cooked in the lavec’, workshops and local soapstone craft markets.
Download the programme
The event will close with a major international music event:
a concert by Joana Zimmer, a young German singer, who is well-known and appreciated for her splendid voice, will be held in an impressive location, in the heart of the mountain, inside the Brusada mine in Lanzada.
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The National Mines Day Valchiavenna - Bregaglia - Valmalenco is organised by:
- Ecomuseum of the Valmalenco
- Museum of the Bagnada Mine
- Imi Fabi SpA
- Italo-Swiss Association for the quarries in Piuro
- Municipality of Piuro
- Municipality of Villa di Chiavenna
- Municipality of Chiavenna
- Municipality of Prata Camportaccio
- Consortium of Mountain Municipalities of Valchiavenna
- Museum System of the Valchiavenna
With the participation of the Municipality of Bregaglia (CH).
National partners:
- Istituto Superiore per la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)
- Associazione Italiana per il patrimonio Archeologico Industriale
- Associazione Nazionale Ingegneri Minerari
- Associazione Mineraria Italiana per l’Industria Mineraria e Petrolifera
- Associazione Italiana di Geologia e Turismo
All the information at:
www.piuroitalosvizzera.net
www.comune.piuro.so.it
www.isprambiente.gov.it