Chris Pearrow
History of Almadén and its People
The Royal Miners' Hospital in Almadén is one of the more interesting things to visit in Almadén, after the actual ancient mercury mines themselves. The hospital is a stately villa that has been renovated and converted into a museum which highlights the history of mercury mining in Almadén, the ailments that mercury miners faced, the controversy over the actual toxicity of mercury, and the importance the mine had for the town (let's suffice to say that it was the lifeblood of the entire area).
The hospital also has a nice courtyard in the back that has a Moorish-style fountain and plenty of flowering plants.
The hospital also served as a jail and they still have the grim dungeons which you can visit. Again, it's not the most exciting things on the planet, but it's worth a quick visit if you're in Almadén to help you understand the history of the village and its people.
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