Mount Loreto Mining Complex and MuCast – Archaeomining Museum of Masso
At the Foot of Monte Loreto, Between Masso and Castiglione Chiavarese
In the inland hills of Liguria, near the hamlet of Masso in the municipality of Castiglione Chiavarese, lies the Monte Loreto Mine. A place that appears quiet and immersed in nature, yet holds one of the most extraordinary mining stories in Europe.
1857: The Dawn of the Industrial Era
Modern mining activity began in 1857 with the granting of the first concession. From then on, several entrepreneurial companies took turns managing the site, developing an extensive underground network of tunnels on both sides of Monte Loreto. Their goal was to intercept copper veins already known and partially exploited at the surface through mining trenches — visible traces of a much more ancient past.
3500 BC: The Oldest Copper Mine in Western Europe
Studies conducted by the Superintendence, together with radiocarbon dating of artifacts recovered from the trenches, dramatically reshaped the site’s history. The earliest mining activities date back to 3500 BC, during the Copper Age. This remarkable discovery makes Monte Loreto the oldest copper mine in Western Europe. While industrial exploitation lasted only about fifty years — from 1857 to 1910 — the site’s overall history spans more than 5,500 years.
From Underground Workings to Museum Site
In September 2013, the site was transformed into a museum, becoming a unique example of mining archaeology. Visitors could explore the XX Settembre gallery, opened on the southern slope of the mountain and reachable on foot from Masso, as well as the Copper Age trenches along the western trail leading toward Casali. The heart of the museum complex is the former municipal school of Masso, now housing the reception area, exhibition spaces, a multimedia room, and educational workshops.
A Heritage Site Awaiting New Management
At present, the Monte Loreto Mining Museum is closed to visitors, pending the assignment of new management. Nevertheless, it remains a site of extraordinary historical and archaeological value, capable of telling a story that stretches from prehistoric communities to the industrial age.
Sources
Geoportale Regione Liguria_Geositi;
La Miniera di Monte Loreto, Fausto Figone – 2014, Gammarò editore
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