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"Uomini di Valle Imperina"

among rivers, woodlands, and mines

Mining Center of Valle Imperina - Rivamonte Agordino


The Visitor Center of Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi "Uomini di Valle Imperina" is situated in an elegant building dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, originally a hydroelectric power plant for the copper mines of Valle Imperina. The Center is dedicated to the men who lived in the valley and their work. The first section of the display focuses on the miner and the effects of the past mining and metallurgical activities on the landscape and the surrounding environment, on air, water, vegetation, and man's health. The second section deals with the chair maker profession, which in many cases used to integrate or even replace the miner's profession. In this section of the Center you can see how the work was organized, the tools and techniques used for the making of chairs, and discover the characteristic jargon these men used, above all during their journeys in Italy. The third section of the display, on the upper floor, is dedicated to the legendary character of Om selvarech, the protagonist of a propitiatory spring rite and cultural hero revealing to men some important secrets linked to milk processing.