Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Wales Llandudno The Great Orme Copper Mines

The Great Orme Copper Mines

The world's largest prehistoric copper mine had 30,000 animal bones scattered throughout the maze of passageways.

Llandudno, Wales

Added By
wisewoman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Great Orme Copper Mine.   Alan Simkins/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Great Orme Copper Mines.   David Dixon/CC BY-SA 2.0
Descending into the underground mines.   Steve Daniels/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Great Orme Copper Mine.   Humphrey Bolton/CC BY-SA 2.0
The view, containing the Bronze Age copper mine.   Gerald England/CC BY-SA 2.0
The mine   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
In a mine tunnel   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This 3,500-year-old copper mine lies beneath a hillside in Great Orme, Wales. The mine, deemed the largest prehistoric copper mine in the world, is estimated to have produced enough copper to make nearly 2,000 tons of bronze. One archaeologist dubbed it “the Stonehenge of copper mining” because of it’s historical grandeur.

The ancient maze of passageways was discovered in 1987 during a landscaping scheme. Over five miles of tunnels, passageways, and caverns wind throughout nine different subterranean levels. At its deepest, the mine stretches down to about 230 feet below ground. Some of the tunnels are so narrow it’s believed they were carved by children no more than five years old.

There were over 30,000 animal bones found scattered throughout the maze of passageways. Bronze age workers created the mine by using stone hammers and tools made from animal bones. However, some of the animal remains discovered inside may have been put there as part of some sort of ritual. There were also hundreds of Bronze Age artifacts, such as tools and even human fingerprints.

The massive mines were abandoned sometime around 600 BC until the Romans reopened them for a brief stint centuries later. They opened again the late 17th century, but again, the mine became abandoned shortly after. Now, people can once again enter the mines and embark upon a self-guided tour of the narrow, dark tunnels.

Related Tags

Mines Ancient History Underground Bronze Age Mummies Cats Archaeology Industrial Prehistoric World's Largest Animals

Know Before You Go

They have a car park or it's just a short walk from the Great Orme cable car station. Dogs are allowed.

Community Contributors

Added By

wisewoman

Edited By

linkogecko, Kerry Wolfe, Collector of Experiences, rbenn250...

  • linkogecko
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • Collector of Experiences
  • rbenn250
  • katielou106

Published

July 21, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.greatormemines.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sian-James.pdf
  • http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=392
  • http://www.greatormemines.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/article.pdf
  • http://www.greatormemines.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Alan-Williams.pdf
  • http://www.greatormemines.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Prehistoric-Mining-at-the-Great-Orme.pdf
  • http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/The-Great-Orme-Mines/
The Great Orme Copper Mines
Pyllau Rd
Llandudno, Wales
United Kingdom
53.33095, -3.850425
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Great Orme Summit Complex UFO Room

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

St Tudno's Church

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

Great Orme Tramway

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Llandudno

Llandudno

Wales

Places 3

Nearby Places

Great Orme Summit Complex UFO Room

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

St Tudno's Church

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

Great Orme Tramway

Llandudno, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Llandudno

Llandudno

Wales

Places 3

Related Stories and Lists

When Did Humans Become a Burrowing Species?

tunnels

By Sarah Laskow

Related Places

  • Detail of the engraved bone.

    Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

    Frieze of Lions

    This pair of running lions engraved on animal bone is one of the earliest artistic depictions of big cats.

  • “Tjelvar’s Grave” stone ship burial site.

    Boge, Sweden

    Tjelvar's Grave

    A Bronze Age stone ship said to be the grave of the mythical founder of Gotland.

  • Roman ruins underneath the library.

    Bologna, Italy

    Roman Ruins of Salaborsa Library

    The remains of an ancient Roman city are hidden underneath Bologna's beautiful public library.

  • The replica gypsum furnace.

    Castalla, Spain

    La Foia de Castalla

    This site is both a remarkable reminder of the town's mining history and a fantastic government blooper.

  • Prehistoric hand prints in a cave in Maros.

    Bantimurung, Indonesia

    Prehistoric Cave Art of Maros Pangkep

    These 40,000-year-old stenciled hands are older than the famous cave art in France and Spain.

  • Cats lounging on ancient architecture

    Rome, Italy

    Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

    Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

  • Archeological site of Akrotiri

    Santorini, Greece

    Prehistoric Town of Akrotiri

    A Bronze age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini might have been the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis.

  •  A whale skeleton on display outside of the museum.

    Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

    Museo de Historia Natural

    Fossilized remains tell the story of the region’s past inside this small, unassuming museum.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.