Kirunavara, Sweden

In Lapland, in the bowels of Kirunavara mountain there is the mine of the same name, where in the late 19th century iron ore was produced. The scale of the mine is just amazing; total length of tunnels is about 450 kilometers, and some of them go to a depth of 1,270 meters. According to scientists, the first time people began to mine iron in the foothills has been 6,000 years ago, as soon as the glaciers retreated. Large-scale mines, which travelers can visit today, began to develop in the 17th century. Iron mining is being carried out in some parts of the huge mine even these days.

Many tunnels have long remained outside the attention and gradually destroyed, so walk along them without a guide is not only very scary, but also life threatening. Meandering passages deprived of light are partially flooded with water, and you can see crumbling stones and ceilings everywhere. While walking through abandoned mine sites you have to be very quiet so as not to trigger landslides.

Tourists have free access to existing mine sites, so they can observe production and primary processing of the ore. Despite the huge scale, Kirunavara is one of the most comfortable mines in the world. Even people who are very sensitive to lack of oxygen can walk along its deserted corridors thanks to the modern air supply system. There are excellent conditions not only for work, but also for amazing tours. Next - Zrinjski