Excursion by bus from Falun to Arlanda airport and Stockholm,

Saturday June 15

Departure time from Falun 07.00

8.30 Visit the reconstructed Medieval Blast Furnace at New Lapphyttan in Norberg.

The Lapphyttan site in Norberg mining district was investigated between the years 1978-1983. The archaeologists found the remains of a complete medieval blast furnace facility with all outbuildings and over 9,000 artifacts, which reflected the medieval process in use from about 1200 to 1400. In the early 1990s, the entire facility, as an interpretation of the archaeological results with the intention of working with different experiments to understand the medieval process. In 2012, we succeeded in producing liquid pig iron in the reconstructed blast furnace. Further attempts were made until 2015 with more successful attempts. Since 2015, the trials have entered a new phase, where the problems have focused on refining the pig iron into malleable osmund iron.

10.00 Departure from New Lapphyttan to WHS Engelsberg ironworks.

10.30 Visit the world heritage site Engelsbergs Ironwork

Engelsberg Ironworks, situated in the mining area of Norberg, is an outstanding example of an industrial complex of the 17th to 19th centuries. It is the best preserved and most complete example of a Swedish iron-working estate. Important examples of the technological equipment of this era as well as associated administrative and residential buildings are preserved within the property. The blast furnace, built in 1778-1779 along with an ore crusher and a large charcoal store, incorporated a number of then-contemporary technological innovations. The introduction of a new blowing engine in 1836 resulted in an increase in production. A gas-fired ore-roasting kiln was added in 1848. Collectively, they provide a very complete picture of the technological equipment of a traditional Swedish ironwork. The complex also contains a range of administrative and residential buildings for managers and workers, as well as for those who worked on the associated farm. These include the main building (erected about 1750), office building, inspector’s house, smiths’ cottages, coach-house, stables, brewery, master gardener’s house (1790), and a monumental barn of slag stone (1872). Over 50 buildings of various ages and functions have been preserved here. Recently the garden of the manor house has been restored. The Iron work was closed it down in 1919.

11.30 Departure from Engelsberg to Avesta Koppardalen

12.00. Lunch and visit at Koppardalen in Avesta

The industrial history of the site Koppardalen began with the construction of a copper works in 1636. In 1644, the mint was added, which operated until 1831. The copper factory was closed in 1869. An ironworks was built on the ruins of the copper factory in 1874, and the first blast furnace was put into operation. As a result of a recession in the mid-1870s, the company went bankrupt in 1879. In 1883, the newly formed Avesta Jernverks AB took over the operation. The facilities were expanded and covered a large area along the Dalälven. The blast furnaces, which were the oldest part of the facility, was closed down in 1938. At the same time, some parts of the business instead began to move to the new industrial area south of Avesta, named Södra verken.

By 1984, the last parts of the ironworks had moved. Avesta municipality bought the     area in 1986. Since then, most of the old industrial premises have been refurbished and now house a mixture of industrial and service companies. In the 1990s, the municipality began a cultural industrial investment, which resulted in the Avesta Art gallery being started in 1995 in parts of the old smelting house. Subsequently, the martin factory has also been restored, and most recently the blast furnace itself, which was inaugurated in 2004 as an interactive theater, where iron production is depicted with lights and images.

14.30 Departure from Koppardalen Avesta to Sala silver mine

Drive through the Sala silver mine with a short stop at Herr Sten’s bottom an medieval open-cast mine.

The Sala silver mine is a lead and silver deposit, which has been in continuous operation from the 15th century to 1908. The last mine, the Bronäs mine, was closed in 1962. The silver mine formed the Sala silver mining district. The silver mine had three heydays: the beginning of the 16th century, the middle of the 17th century and the end of the 19th century. During the best years of the 16th century, 3–5 tons of silver were produced per year, and a total of more than 450 tons of silver and around 40,000 tons of lead were mined. The depth of the mine is more than 300 meters, and has a combined length of galleries and shafts of over 20 km. The Sala silver mine was the most important silver deposit in Sweden. Silver was important as a coin metal and the mine was, according to King Karl IX the most important Clenodium of the state.

The oldest settlement was located at the oldest open-cast mine, Herr   Sten´s bottom. Already in the 16th century there was a city-like community combined with smelting houses. Later, the mining village of Sala was moved and became the town of Sala in 1624. At the same time two large water systems with lakes and ponds were built to supply the mine’s water wheels and the smelting furnaces with water power. German miners were often drafted to higher positions at the mine.

17.00 Arrival at Arlanda airport terminal 5

18.00 Arrival at Stockholm city centre

Please note that all times are approximate and may change due to traffic.

Pre-registration is required.