Pozo Sotón

The discovery of the Sotón Carboniferous outcrop dates back to 1792. Hence, the Sotón pit is one of the oldest mines in the municipality of San Martín del Rey Aurelio and in the entire Nalón mining basin. For years, it belonged to the Sociedad Herrero Hermanos until its merger with Duro y Cía. in 1901, to form part of the Sociedad Metalúrgica Duro Felguera.

Its deepening was carried out between 1917 and 1922, making it necessary to move the River Nalón itself. All this took place more than a century ago, during which time the shaft underwent various extensions and modifications to increase its production capacity and efficiency.
Closed in 2014, it was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest that same year, and the declaration includes the two derricks, the reter that surrounds them, as well as the engine house and the union office.

It opened its doors to the public in 2015 with a unique project: an immersive experience in which visitors can walk through its galleries and become miners for a day, chopping coal or boring a gallery, accompanied by professionals from the mining company HUNOSA, which owns the mine.

Although the shaft has more than 140 kilometres of underground galleries, visitors only go through part of them, more than half a kilometre deep, either on foot or in the mining train, which takes them from the shaft (vertical access tunnel to the shaft) to the work fronts.
In addition to interior visits, Pozo Sotón offers exterior tours, a museum and a Miners' Memorial, created to pay tribute to the workers who died in coal mining in Asturias.

There are also activities for children and families, such as a mining escape room, dramatised visits and an annual mining tourism fair. The Pozo Sotón is one of the 100 most representative industrial heritage elements in Spain and, since 2016, the first mine in the world accessible on Google Street View.

It is essential to book in advance as places are limited and only small groups are accepted, https://www.pozosoton.es/reservar-visita-mina