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Mines, whether they once yielded salt, limestone, or other resources, often become obsolete. However, many have found surprising new purposes. From lush botanical gardens to high-speed racetracks and charming bookstores, here are 15 examples of mines repurposed in imaginative ways.
1. MUSIC PERFORMANCE SPACE
Margaret Dells Fors, a former opera singer and radio producer, along with culture editor Åsa Nyman, discovered an abandoned limestone quarry in Dalarna, Sweden. Recognizing its potential due to the natural soundproofing and exceptional acoustics, they transformed it into an amphitheater. Named “Dalhalla” (merging Dalarna and Valhalla), it debuted in 1993 and has since hosted renowned artists such as Led Zeppelin, Patti Smith, and Norah Jones.
2. SUBTERRANEAN AMUSEMENT PARK
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Deep beneath the surface in Transylvania lies Salina Turda, a 17th-century salt mine transformed into a unique theme park. Featuring mini golf, a bowling alley, a carousel, and even a Ferris wheel, it offers a mix of entertainment and history. Visitors can also explore preserved mining equipment and join guided tours.
3. BUTCHART GARDENS
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Originally a limestone quarry in the early 1900s, supplying cement to areas from San Francisco to Victoria, British Columbia, this Vancouver Island location has been reimagined into a vast botanical garden. After the limestone reserves were depleted, Jennie Butchart, wife of the quarry owner Robert Pim Butchart, transformed the site into a stunning Sunken Garden. Over the years, her family expanded the gardens, which were recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada in 2004.
4. THE EDEN PROJECT
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Once a china clay mining site in Cornwall, UK, this crater was redeveloped in the 1990s into The Eden Project, an educational complex featuring biomes housing the world's largest indoor rainforest, modern gardens, exhibitions, and a venue for summer concerts and family activities.
5. UNDERGROUND SPA
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Poland’s 800-year-old Wieliczka Salt Mine offers a unique therapy called “subterranotherapy.” The mine’s pristine underground air is said to benefit respiratory health, making it an effective treatment for asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections.
6. HYPOXIC RUNNING TRACK
In Yanahara, Japan, a disused iron-ore mine has been repurposed into an underground running track. The low oxygen levels replicate high-altitude conditions, providing an ideal training environment for athletes preparing for races at varying elevations.
7. SUBTERRANEAN RACETRACK
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For motorsport enthusiasts, the Swedish island of Gotland offers Gotland Ring, a premier racing track built in a former limestone quarry. This venue hosts motocross, car races, performance driving, and other high-octane events.
8. FAKE LAKE
In Gilbert, Minnesota, an abandoned iron ore mine was flooded to create a manmade lake named Lake Ore-Be-Gone, inspired by A Prairie Home Companion. A recent land reclamation project added beaches and boat landings, transforming it into a popular destination for families.
9. INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
Originally a silver mine in the early 20th century, this site in the Cobalt Mining District of Northern Ontario has been repurposed into a grocery store, a Firefighter’s Museum, and, in 2014, a bookstore and publisher’s office for White Mountain Publications, which organizes its own writers’ contests and poetry competitions.
10. MUSHROOM FARM
An abandoned limestone mine in Worthington, Pennsylvania, became an ideal location for mushroom cultivation. Creekside Mushrooms Ltd. transformed the mine into a massive mushroom farm, producing 60 million pounds annually and employing hundreds of locals. It was once the world’s largest mushroom facility and the only underground operation of its kind in the U.S., though it ceased operations in 2010.
11. SALT CATHEDRAL
Jimmy Baikovicius, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0
Located 200 yards beneath the surface near Zipaquirá, Colombia, a functioning Roman Catholic church has been carved into an old salt mine. Visitors are greeted by stunning salt sculptures and a towering 16-foot cross, making it a truly unique place of worship.
12. SOCCER STADIUM
Portugal’s Sporting Clube de Braga plays in a stadium that was once a granite quarry. Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, the venue seamlessly integrates with the mountain and natural landscape, accommodating over 30,000 spectators.
13. MUSEUM
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The extensive rock salt deposits beneath Wieliczka, Poland, mined since the 13th century, have been repurposed into an intricate museum dedicated to the mining industry. The museum displays historical tools and equipment, offering a glimpse into the region’s mining heritage.
14. DATA CENTER
Iron Mountain’s national data center is housed in a 145-acre limestone mine in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Situated 22 stories underground, it is virtually immune to natural disasters and features amenities like a café and an on-site fire department.
15. GOVERNMENT OFFICE
A former limestone mine in Boyers, Pennsylvania, now serves as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center. This 230-foot-deep facility employs 600 workers who manage millions of documents, with its vast caverns filled with countless file cabinets.
