The Natural Park of Colline Metallifere Grossetane (Tuscan Mining Geopark) is characterized by its multipolar multithematic structure.
In fact, the Park offers a variety of topics of interest related to geology, the environment, the landscape, archaeology, historical and architectural heritage, as well as testimonials of pre-industrial and industrial mining and metallurgy.
On October 1st, 2010, the Park was added to the European and Global Geoparks Network, under the auspices of UNESCO, becoming in effect a Geopark.
A Geopark is a single, unified geographical area which boasts geological heritage sites and landscapes of international geological significance. A UNESCO Global Geopark strives for the sustainable development of an area, where you can touch geological heritage of scientific, educational and esthetic importance.
The Park, which lies between the provinces of Grosseto and Livorno, aims to recover, preserve and enhance the geological heritage of the Colline Metallifere, by creating a circuit based on geosites of particular interest for their scientific value, aesthetic appeal and educational value, integrating already existing routes and museum tours.
Inside the Park, we are confronted with an agricultural landscape with a rich variety of crops, including specialized vineyards in the Monteregio DOC area, which extend towards the wooded areas.
The Park is dotted with mines that tell the story their activity through the centuries, activities that were integrated with the natural resources and landscapes.
The heritage of the Park is immense, when you consider that there are 81 locations in the Park covering some 108 700 hectares. These include structures, buildings, plants, from various historical time periods (from the Etruscan era until today) which, thanks to the Park, are connected by a common thread: sites with historical and archaeological interest.
During a visit to the Park, you will discover mining areas, steel and metallurgical plants, medieval castles, transport and geothermal plants, etc.
To visit the Park, we recommend that you use « Porte del Parco », a starting point put in place within each of the seven municipalities that are part of the Park (Follonica, Massa Marittima, Gavorrano, Scarlio, Montieri, Monterotondo Marittimo, Roccastrada). It is a system which offers visitors cultural services, information, guided tours, workshops, etc.. The various “doors” are composed of parks, museums, libraries, theatres, etc. that provide access to some of the most unique, picturesque geo-mineral landscapes in Europe, the result of more than 3000 years of history.