Miniera Sant'Aloisio

Miniera San Aloisio-Tassara


Useful Information

Location: At the provincial road near Collio, Val Trompia.
A4 motorway, Ospitaletto exit, follow the signs for Valle Trompia.
(45.803774, 10.320335)
Open: MAY to JUN Sun 10-18.
JUL Sat, Sun 10-18.
AUG daily 10-18.
SEP to OCT Sun 10-18.
Tours: 11, 14:30, 16:20, arrive at least 10 min earlier.
Speoleotherapy: All year daily 14-18, on reservation.
[2020]
Fee: Adults EUR 10, Children (6-13) EUR 7, Children (0-5) not allowed.
Combi mine + adventure park: Adults EUR 20, Children (6-13) EUR 15, Children (0-5) not allowed.
Speoleotherapy: Adults EUR 15, Children (0-14) EUR 10.
7 entries: Adults EUR 100, Children (0-14) EUR 45.
10 entries: Adults EUR 135, Children (0-14) EUR 65.
15 entries: Adults EUR 195, Children (0-14) EUR 90.
annual: Adults EUR 350, Children (0-14) EUR 195.
[2020]
Classification: MineIron Mine ExplainSpeleotherapy
Light: helmets with headlamp provided.
Dimension:
Guided tours: L=2,500 m, MinAge=6.
Photography:
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Miniera Sant'Aloisio, Via Castiglione, 25060 Collio BS, Cell: +39-347-8163286. E-mail:
Agenzia Parco Minerario dell'Alta Valle Trompia, C/o Miniera S. Aloisio-Tassara, Via Strada Provinciale, 25060 Collio VT (Bs), Tel: +39-030-9280022, Fax: +39-030-9280023. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1819 works on the adit Galleria S.Aloisio Nuova started.
1870 mine opened.
1886 bought by Altiforni di Terni and modernized.
1935 mining concession acquired by Filippo Tassara, Carlo Franzoni and Alberto Cucchi, industrialists from Brescia.
1939 mining company renamed Carlo Tassara Società Anonima Miniera di S. Aloisio.
1985 mine closed.
2003 mine opened to the public under the name Miniera Aventurra San Aloisio Tassara with underground climbing adventure.
2019 reopened with show mine and speleotherapy center.

Geology


Description

The Miniera San Aloisio-Tassara (San Aloisio-Tassara Mine) was the richest and most extensive siderite mining concession of the Val Trompia (Trompia Valley). Its heyday was around 1936, when the mine had great importance for the fascist government at the dawn of World War II. Another period of high profitability was during the 1950s, with the economic awakening after World War II. The mine has a total of several tens of kilometers. But in the 1970s many mines in Europe were closed due to low world market prices. Sant'Aloisio was the last iron mine of the valley, but finally it had to be closed in 1985. The last mine in Val Trompia was Torgola mine, a fluorite and lead mine which was closed 1999, marking the end of all mining activities.

The tourist mine was opened in 2003 under the name Miniera Aventurra San Aloisio Tassara. The Miniera Avventura (Mine Adventure) was located inside the mine, but it seems this has been discontinued. They give no reason, why it was abandoned, but we guess the underground installation were deteriorating quite fast, and that was too costly in the long run. Unfortunately the relocation also cost the new museum which existed in the ore treatment plants.

In it was renamed Miniera Sant'Aloisio when the new underground mine tour was opened in 2019. They are not classical show mine tours, the trails are rather rough and there is no electric light. Visitors are equipped with a helmet and headlight, good shoes, warm clothes, probably gloves, are recommended. The tour is 2,500 m long and shows three different levels of the mine. And there is the Parco Avventura della Miniera Sant'Aloisio (Adventure Park) with its via ferrata. Steel ropes and wooden obstacles, Tibetan bridges, walkways and ladders must be climbed. This park is now located in the old ore treatment plants.

New is the speleotherapy station in the mine. The mine is entered on a 400 m long ride on a mine train, the speleoclimatic center extends for 1,400 m. There are chairs and beds to rest and relax during the time spent in the mine, but if this is too boring there is also an interesting exhibition with historical photographs and original tools of the mining history. Visits to the mine take two hours and are organized by the Centro Speleoclimatico della Miniera Sant'Aloisio (Speleoclimatic Center of the Sant'Aloisio Mine).

The mine is operated by SKI-MINE. They also operate the mines Marzoli, Gaffione, and Gambatesa. Keep the ticket if you visit one of those too, as you might get a reduction.