Antonijev rov and the former mercury mine in Idrija represent one of the most important chapters of European mining heritage. Hidden among forested slopes and steep ravines, Idrija was for more than five centuries a place where an extraordinary story of human effort, technological progress, and the relentless struggle with nature unfolded beneath the surface. Here stood the second‑largest mercury mine in the world, whose uninterrupted production from 1490 onward became a symbol of perseverance, ingenuity, and economic strength.
The oldest part of the mine, Antonijev rov, lies at the heart of this story. It was excavated at the very beginning of mining activity and was named after St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint invoked for protection against accidents underground. Antonijev rov thus became more than just an entrance into the subterranean world; it became a symbol of the beginnings of Idrija’s mining epic, a place where the identity of the mining town was born.
Throughout the centuries, the Idrija mercury mine held exceptional importance for the wider European space. Mercury was essential for extracting silver and gold, which gave Idrija a strategic and economic role far beyond its local boundaries. Technological innovations developed by Idrija’s miners and engineers spread across Europe—from water‑powered machinery to advanced ventilation systems.
The significance of the Idrija mine was internationally recognized in 2012, when UNESCO inscribed the mines of Idrija and Almadén in Spain on the World Heritage List. This inscription acknowledged the extraordinary importance of both mines as the two largest global sources of mercury and as places where a unique mining culture—rich in knowledge, tradition, and technical achievements—developed over the centuries.
Although the ore deposit was never fully exhausted, economic conditions in the 20th century led to a gradual decline in production. In 1986 the decision was made to end extraction permanently and begin the gradual closure of the mine. This marked the end of more than five hundred years of activity that had shaped the life, culture, and identity of Idrija. Yet the mine did not become a forgotten space—part of the underground tunnels was transformed into a tourist mine.
Today, Antonijev rov is not merely a museum space but a living monument to human perseverance. A visitor descending into the cool underground can sense the pulse of former mining life: narrow passages, traces of tools, dripping water, and the silence broken only by the echo of footsteps. Every meter of the tunnel tells a story of people who sought light in the darkness—the light of knowledge, progress, and survival.