Show Mine of Predoi

The Show Mine of Predoi, part of the South Tyrol Mining Museums, gives a fascinating insight into the unique world of mining. The visitors, who all wear yellow coats and helmets, enter the mountain on a pit train and enjoy an exciting tour through the history of copper mining in Predoi. In the inside of the museum a 250 m long and a 80 m long tunnel can be visited. Since June 2018 a historic gallery, hewn by hand and closed for the last 50 years, has been renovated and is now accessible again.

The visitors learn a lot about the history of mining in South Tyrol: copper was mined in Predoi since about 1400. It is a very elastic metal and was therefore mainly used in the wire production. Moreover, the museum shows the difficult working conditions in the mine and tells about the hard life of the miners who had to work there.

The copper of Predoi was considered the best in Europe and mainly exported into other countries. The administrative centre of the mine was Cadipietra, where the "Grain Store" is located. A hamlet of the municipality of Cadipietra hosted a so-called mountain court, where disputes between miners and farmer were resolved. After 500 years the Predoi mine finally closed down in 1893, when it was in the hands of the Enzenberg family. It was reopened for a short period of time in 1957 and finally closed again in 1971.

The Show Mine of Predoi is complemented by the South Tyrol Mining Museum in a Grain Store. It exhibits the collection of the Enzenberg family. The mine also contains a climate tunnel, where respiratory diseases are alleviated thanks to a very special micro-climate virtually free of allergens and dust.