The silver Mines of the Franc Kings is the most ancient silver mine open to the public in Europe.
The mines were active in a very specific period of time as the archaeological excavations held from 1994 has proven. The mines were used from 602 to 995 AD and the argentiferous galena extracted was used to obtain silver (used for coins) and lead.
The mines are open to the public and the Carolingian era is explained also by means of demonstrations of early medieval metalworking using replicas of ancient furnaces. The great knowledge developed in the Carolingian period of herbs and their use is also shown in the Carolingian garden, with more than 150 species. On request, other activities can be booked, such as the calligraphy workshop in which it is possible to understand from the practical point of view how the revolutionary littera carolina was created and performed.
