Great Pit, Mining collapse site in Falun, Sweden
The Great Pit is a massive mining hole in Falun that reaches about 95 meters deep and spans a circumference of roughly 1.6 kilometers. The hole has steep reddish walls and is surrounded by viewing paths that let you see the structure from different angles.
A massive ground collapse happened on Midsummer's evening in 1687 and created this enormous crater. The event marked a turning point in Swedish mining history and changed the landscape around the town forever.
The path around the pit shows how mining shaped life in this town and how people used the landscape for their livelihood. The structures and markers you see tell the story of work that formed this place over centuries.
The best way is to take time walking around the pit and visiting the different viewpoints set up for you. QR code markers along the paths give you extra information about different parts of the mining area.
The collapse happened on a holiday, which meant no workers were in the pit at the time. This was one of those rare cases in industrial history when a catastrophic event caused no deaths.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
