Falun
Dalarnas län
Sweden
Falun Mine – the entrance

Once upon a time Falu Gruva (Falun Mine) was the most important industrial workplace in Sweden. Mining took place here as long ago as the eighth century, and copper from Falun Mine was used for castle roofs, church steeples, coins, and household utensils all over Europe.

In 1687 the mine collapsed and left a huge hole in the ground. Luckily it happened on Midsummer’s Day when nobody was working in the mine.
The collaps didn’t stop the mining until 1992 when all production of copper was shut down.

Today the only thing still produced here is the red paint.
When you drive around the Swedish country you can’t help noticing how many houses are painted red. This shade of red became known as "Falu Rödfarg" and is actually a by-product of the mine.

Falun Mine is on Unesco’s World Heritage List.

via Flickr http://flic.kr/p/vXcxnF