Sotón shaft

The Sotón shaft, together with the Fondón and María Luisa shafts, formed the most important group of mines in operation in the Nalón valley managed by the company Duro Felguera. It was a modern and carefully designed space which, from 1967, passed into the hands of the state-owned mining company Hunosa.

The great heritage value of these facilities was recognized with its declaration of Bien de Interés Cultural (an asset of cultural interest) in March 2014. This comprised different elements, such as the two headframes, the coal classification workshop -known as réter -,the machine house and the union offices.

After its opening to the public, the the Sotón shaft has become one of the most unique touristic resources in the region. The facilities offer guided tours to the interior of the mine, where visitors reach a depth of almost 600 meters and experience the harsh working conditions inside a coal mine. Outside the facilities, a complete collection of mining machinery is on display, allowing visitors to learn about different mining methods.

In addition, an exhibition space—the Centro de Experiencias y Memoria de la Minería, CEMM—has been set up in the former locker and lamp rooms of the shaft, with interactive resources and a wide range of activities for all audiences. The tour through its rooms allows visitors to learn about the history of mining in Asturias, the start-up of the shaft by its sponsoring company, Sociedad Metalúrgica Duro Felguera, the transformation suffered with the appearance of the state-owned company Hunosa, and the influence of this activity in the mining valleys of the center of Asturias.

Mónica García Cuetos