Museum of the sulfur mine in Montedoro

In Montedoro, on the slopes of Monte Ottavio, stands the museum dedicated to the sulfur mines and the sulfur miners. It is a unique attraction in the world that can be admired at any time of the year and that sheds a deeper light on a historical profession and on the history of Sicilian mines. Here's what to see in particular and what to do around this attraction.

History of the place

The Zolfara Museum in Montedoro rises right in this locality because historically it is one of the symbolic places with regard to the extraction and sulfur processing. The town was born in the early 1600s by the will of the prince Diego of Aragon who was the lord of Castelvetrano. The decision was made after a certain number of farmers moved to the area, attracted by the fertility of the surrounding hills. In fact, the name of Montedoro seems to derive from the presence in the area of ​​yellow field flowers which in spring, during the flowering period, made the surrounding hills as yellow as gold.

The area had a substantially agricultural vocation until the end of the 1930th century, when the first sulfur deposit was discovered. From that moment on, the whole territory became a large mine for the extraction of this precious mineral, obviously attracting a larger population, made up of miners and their families. Around XNUMX, however, with the arrival of American sulfur on the European market, the Sicilian mines began to lose customers. When the fields also begin to be less profitable, they are gradually abandoned and then fall completely into disuse.
Today the area has returned to having a purely agricultural but also tourist vocation, given that the museum is an excellent example of industrial archeology.

Architecture and any works of art present in the Museum of the zolfara in Montedoro

The museum, which was built in 2012 near what was once one of the most famous mines on the island, namely the Nadurella, is substantially composed of two distinct paths, one that branches off inside the structure and one that is instead external. As for the first, it was designed to help visitors retrace the history of sulfur in Sicily and the close relationship between this mineral and the inhabitants of the island.

It offers the opportunity to read up on the subject thanks to historical and photographic finds, work equipment and above all reconstructions of the life and work that was carried out by the sulfur miners. The second route, however, is completely external and includes an itinerary inside the remains of what really was there sulfur mine most important on the island, not only for its size but also for the volume of production and for the number of miners who were employed in the processing, for all the centuries of activity of the field. The layout of both the internal and external parts was created based on the stories of Luise Hamilton Caico, who was the wife of one of the owners of the mine, and is a work in close collaboration with theUniversity of Palermo, especially the anthropology department.

What you can do in the surroundings or inside the Museo della zolfara in Montedoro

In addition to the beautiful Museum of the sulfur mine in Montedoro, there are other attractions that can be admired in the surroundings, so as to organize a trip that can be said to be truly rich in culture, history and nature. Do not miss, for example, theMontedoro astronomical observatory which allows you to admire the starry firmament and the stars more closely, also through guided tours that are organized periodically.

In the village, however, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary it dates back to the early nineteenth century and is one of the most beautiful and particular attractions, the Madonna was also the protector of all miners, so inside there are many ex votos that tell the story of the place and its inhabitants in a truly suggestive path. Finally, a tour is worthwhile Old Town of the village, full of charming alleys.

How is it possible to get to Montedoro

There are several ways to reach the Zolfara Museum in Montedoro but obviously you must first reach the village of the same name. For those coming by car, both from Caltanissetta and Agrigento you can take the state road 139. Alternatively, it is possible to reach the village with a station on a regional train and then move on foot or with the public transport service. Finally, there are some private buses that take you directly from the main urban centers in the area to the Zolfara Museum in Montedoro. From this area, then, all the other attractions can be reached by bus, on foot or with a few minutes by car.