In the 1970s, with the building up of the Can Tintorer neighbourhood in Gavà (Barcelona), a unique archaeological discovery was made: the oldest mining galleries in Europe and the only ones dedicated to the extraction of a green mineral, variscite, used in the making of jewellery and in economic exchange. More than 6,000 years old and dating from the Neolithic age, it is a unique site, both for the characteristics of its mineral exploitation and for the exceptional source of information it represents about the period.
The Archaeological Park project was aimed at meeting various objectives: on the one hand, guaranteeing continuity of research and protection for a sector of the site affected by house building, and, on the other hand, communicating to the general public the knowledge about the Neolithic period and the site that has been the fruit of thirty years of archaeological research while, at the same time, making the mines accessible to everyone. And, last but not least, giving the town of Gavà a cultural landmark.


The Gavà mines were exploited for almost 1,000 years, during the whole of the Middle Neolithic, and mining was interrupted at the end of this period. A green-coloured mineral, variscite (aluminium phosphate) that was used only for creating personal ornaments was extracted from the mines.


The guiding thread of the exhibition is the archaeological research. Through set design, graphic resources and, most importantly, audiovisual materials, we find out how archaeological science reconstructs a past age. How, from tiny remains like grains of pollen, carbon or bones we can identify plants and animals that inhabited this zone 6,000 years ago and from which we can reconstruct the landscape. Or how objects and tools allow us to discover the way men and women lived and worked. Burial findings or unique objects like the Venus of Gavà (a representation of a female deity), also allow us to get closer to their customs and beliefs.
The visit is completed with a reproduction of the mine itself. This is an ideal mine, some 50m long, constructed artificially but with scientific rigour, which unites the knowledge that we have available to us today about the geology and minerals of the period. It has been built with accessibility for everyone in mind, including wheelchair users. Together with the cognitive experience it represents, a visit to the artificial mine also allows us to transport ourselves in time and feel like prehistoric miners.
Thanks to the support of the Gavà town council and the participation of the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Barcelona Provincial Council , the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Culture and the European Regional Development Fund, today we have the Gavà Mines Archaeological Park , a 4,000m 2 facility for the enjoyment and understanding of this unique archaeological site.

Dani Freixes, the project architect, has recently been awarded the National Architecture and Public Space prize. With 4000m2 of space, the Gavà Mines Archaeological Park is built in a sector with a high concentration of mines. A visit combines a chance to view the archaeological dig with the pleasure of a modern, attractive exhibition.