Opening of the exhibition "The Mines of Cogne"

The Mines of Cogne – a temporary exhibition to keep memory alive.

The exhibition The Mines of Cogne has just been inaugurated at the Alpinart exhibition centre, in the miners’ village in Cogne. Attending the opening were numerous authorities, local representatives and some of the last miners.

The exhibition, promoted and devised by the Environment and Territory Department, the Municipality of Cogne, Fondation Grand Paradis and the Museum Association of Cogne, retraces the history of the magnetite mine. Its quarrying activity, which developed in far-off times, reached its peak between the end of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. The production boost was given at the beginning of the nineteenth century by Doctor Grappein, original mayor, philanthropist, open to the novelties of the Enlightment and of the French Revolution, precursor of the welfare state. The exhibition shows the history, the geology, the mining complex and the production of the magnetite mine which characterised the history of Cogne. As well as the miners’ tools and work-wear, the exhibition will show photographs and period films.

The exhibition is also an opportunity to collect and share with the public the last miners’ testimonies, which will be presented at the Lectures about the mines. As well as the miners’ testimonies and the experts’ studies, documentaries about the history and the figures of the mine will be shown.

Manuela Zublena, responsible for the Environment and Territory has stated : "It’s the regional administration’s intention to preserve the memory of those who have played an important part in the Aosta Valley socio-economical history".

Mauro Bieler, president of Fondation Grand Paradis, points out: "Fondation manages the Miners’ Village where it has its headquarters, thus it has long been a testimony of the strong interest that the inhabitants of Cogne and tourists have in the mine and its history".

The mayor of Cogne, Franco Allera, adds: "The town administration is working on a project to make the mining heritage of Cogne accessible. The opening of this exhibition represents a first step”.

The exhibition will be open every day except Wednesdays until the 12th of September, from 2 to 7 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays until the 30th of September, from 2 to 6 pm.