jump to the content
Recherche avancée

Idrija on the Mercury Route of the Intercontinental Camino Real

Les noms des biens figurent dans la langue dans laquelle les Etats parties les ont soumis.

Slovénie (Europe et Amérique du nord)

Date de soumission : 18/06/2007
Critères: (ii)(iv)(v)
Catégorie : Culturel
Soumission préparée par :
Ministry of Culture
Etat, province ou région :
Region : Primorska (Western Slovenia)
Coordonnées
N45 58 57.6 E14 01 09
Ref.: 5154

Description

During its 500 years of history, the Idrija mine presented one of the key starting points of the intercontinental Mercury Route, brought nations closer and influenced global changes and development through mercury mining, trading, know-how, economy and culture.

The Mercury Route in the past linked the areas where the ore was excavated with the areas where it was used, including transport routes on land and at sea. The development of the Mercury Route as part of the Intercontinental Camino Real was greatly influenced by the 1554 discovery of amalgamation in America. The process used mercury in acquiring silver and gold from ore and sparked a major increase in the demand for mercury. The metal was foremost exported to Mexico where it was used in silver mines. This discovery influenced the global development of manufacture, technology and trade in mercury as well as facilitated an intensive transfer of technological knowledge and changes in the global economy, social relations, science and culture.

The main route of mercury that linked Idrija to Spain and the intercontinental Camino Real went in the direction: Idrija - KovaEev Rovt - Vrhnika and west from there. During its 500 years, mercury from the mine also took the following routes: Idrija - Spodnja Idrija - Tolmin - Venice; Idrija - Zadlog - Vipava - Trieste; Idrija - Spodnja Idrija - iiri - Skofja Loka.

The proposed area includes:

- The area of the Idrija mercury mine: ore deposits, tunnels, shafts entrances, administrative and other buildings, smelter, water pumps (KamSt, Kley's pump), machinery and equipment;

- The old town of Idrija which reflects the way of life of miners' families and includes buildings such as: theatre, warehouse, city hall, old town square, secondary school, Gewerkenegg Castle, miners' houses etc;

- Water barriers (klavie), located on streams in the nearby woods and the watercourses of Idrijca, Belca and Kanornljica;

- The surrounding area around the mine and the town as an area of influence.

Valeur universelle exceptionnelle

Comparison with other similar properties

The intercontinental Camino Real (including the Mercury Route) can be compared to other similar cultural heritage paths, however, it stands out from the rest by its complexity, sheer geographic scale, natural conditions and diverse impacts. It is a supportive system to multifaceted relations between Europe and a large part of America. The route had a decisive social and economic impact and facilitated the development of cultural patterns on both sides of the Atlantic.