Almadén
Sign in to saveAlmadén () is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The town is located at 4° 49' W and 38° 46' N and is 589 meters (1,932 ft) above sea level. Almadén in the Sierra Morena. The name Almadén is from the , 'the mineral' or 'lode', and so by extension, the place where these are excavated, 'the mine'. Originally a Roman, and later, a Moorish mining settlement when taken from the Visigoths, the town was captured by the Christians in 1151 under king Alfonso VII and given to the Knights of the Order of Calatrava.
AI overview
Almadén is a town in Spain's Castile-La Mancha region whose name means "the mine," reflecting its long history as a mining settlement dating back to Roman times. The town, which has been controlled by various groups including the Moors and Christians throughout its history, is notable primarily for its connection to mineral extraction and mining heritage.
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Key facts
- Settlement.name
- Almadén
- Settlement.settlement_type
- Municipality
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- Almadén en verde y gris.jpg
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- Almadén in 2007
- Settlement.image_flag
- Flag of Almadén Spain.svg
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- Coat of Arms of Almadén.svg
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- Spain
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- Location in Spain
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- Country
- Settlement.subdivision_type1
- Autonomous community
- Settlement.subdivision_name1
- Castile-La Mancha
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- Province
Article
11 sectionsContents
- History of the mines
- Convict labor
- Daily life
- Slave labor
- From 1645
- Heritage site
- Climate
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Almadén () is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The town is located at 4° 49' W and 38° 46' N and is 589 meters (1,932 ft) above sea level. Almadén in the Sierra Morena. The name Almadén is from the , 'the mineral' or 'lode', and so by extension, the place where these are excavated, 'the mine'. Originally a Roman, and later, a Moorish mining settlement when taken from the Visigoths, the town was captured by the Christians in 1151 under king Alfonso VII and given to the Knights of the Order of Calatrava.
The mercury deposits of Almadén account for the largest quantity of liquid mercury metal produced in the world. Approximately of mercury have been produced there in the past 2,000 years. Due to the toxicity of mercury and its byproducts to humans, the mine has variously employed penal labour, slave labour, and prisoners of war over its long history. Almadén mine stopped working in 2002, due to the European mercury mining prohibition. In 2006, the mine opened to the public who can visit the first level, underground.