Visit Minett

The south of the country once provided the nation’s wealth. But now the open-cast mines and iron-ore workings have given way to Mother Nature. Where there once stood blast furnaces rare orchids flourish. Former steel factories now house museums, galleries and theatres. Past industrial prosperity has been replaced by cultural wealth. Its hillsides and forests reveal Roman and earlier remains.

In October 2020, the Minett region became a biosphere reserve recognised by UNESCO. The Minett region is proud to be part of the vast network of - at this time in 2022 - a total of 738 different registered biosphere reserves.

The Minett UNESCO Biosphere demonstrates the impact of humans on nature and the resurgence of nature in human-dominated areas. As an industrialised region, the mining of iron ore and its subsequent abandonment left deep traces in the landscape. The architecture, wasteland, mines and immigration of the region reflect this. Today, the densely populated area has recovered its biodiversity, has a historical heritage to preserve and is the scene of important urban regeneration projects.