Urbino Mining Area – The Urbino Mining area includes the mines of Cavallino, Schieti and San Lorenzo in Solfinelli, belonging to the Municipality of Urbino (PU), Marche Region; with the law 160/2019 it became part of the Sulfur National Park of Marche and Romagna.
The San Lorenzo in Solfinelli mine was one of the most important sulfur mines in the Romagna-Marche area. The first news about the extraction of sulfur in the area dates back to the 11th century, but the most productive period was reached in the second half of the 1800s, while in 1932 the activity was suspended and ended definitively in 1941. The mining area contains and represents a tangible and intangible cultural heritage of exceptional value, the safeguarding of which is finally the official objective of the institutions involved.
Currently, the mine is in a good state of conservation, a farm holidays residence has been created in part of the complex and the mine epigean parts enhanced. The place represents now an important spot with its various cultural, social and tourist activities. It also stands as a rare example of recovery, restoration, and reuse of a mining site entirely operated by a private company (La Corte della Miniera LTD). For example, the center organises didactic and recreational activities, the basement melting furnaces are also used as art laboratories, projection rooms, library, etc., while the external structures have been used as points of reception and catering. In collaboration with the Urbino Speleological Group, the access routes to the main well have been identified and an underground mining route is being studied.
