Description
The mining activity of the Linares- La Carolina mining district extends over 4,000 years, as shown by archaeological investigations. Its importance was such that in 1869 lead production exceeded that of all England. The operation remained active until 1,991, when it closed the last mine in Linares for lack of profitability.
Since then, local associations and municipalities have begun to promote this interesting heritage. In 1999, because of the uniqueness, abundance and quality of this industrial mining landscape, heritage experts described the area in the British press as "the best kept secret in Europe" (Europe's best kept secret).
In the entire mining region, there are remains of high interest industrial archaeology, some unique examples in the world. This scattered set of buildings, railway stations, machine houses, chimneys, cabries and roads explain the history of one of the areas of southern Europe in which the Industrial Revolution took place, where English, Belgian, French and Spanish communities lived together. This combination of history and the use of natural resources is an excellent pretext for visiting the landscape of the chimneys, the landscape that welcomes visitors who arrive in Andalusia from the north.
