A History Worth Saving
As a mine site since Roman times, signs of that early habitation can still be found at Rosia Montana. Today, however, the vestiges of ancient mining practice, including artifacts and infrastructure, are continuing to naturally degrade and are unsafe for tourism. Many of the ancient galleries are collapsing and filling with water. The cost to restore these areas that meet EU standards for tourism, similar to those found in Germany, France, UK and Spain, would be millions of dollars.
Prior to Gabriel's involvement in the region, little attention was paid to rescuing, or honouring, the cultural heritage of Rosia Montana. Past mining operations in the region were conducted without concern for the destruction of many ancient mining artifacts. Without a strong commitment of human and financial resources, significant cultural artifacts uncovered by Gabriel's research will be lost forever through decay.
Gabriel has supported that commitment by amending its plan for Rosia Montana's historical centre. This plan now provides a protected area for the historical centre as well as a buffer zone, encompassing 135 hectares. 233 houses are owned by the Company in the historical centre of Rosia Montana, of these 35 are historical monuments which will be restored.
An investment over many years
Since 2000, the Company has mounted a major rescue archaeology effort performed by an independent and internationally recognized rescue archaeological team. Significant finds are being maintained in situ (including Catalina Monulesti, Para Carpeni, Piatra Corbalui and Jig Vaidoaia) while others will be exhibited in a new mining museum that is part of Gabriel's Community Development Initiative. The mine plan also provides for protected zones that allow the preservation of Rosia Montana's historic structures, cultural landscape and most representative archaeological features. To accommodate these protected areas, the Project footprint was the subject of redesign.
The investment of over US$15million to date has funded the Alburnus Maior National Research Programme, the goal of which is not only to restore and promote the cultural values of Rosia Montana in accordance with sustainable development principles, but also to encourage the development of this area to standards worthy of its ancient fame. The Romanian National History Museum acts as coordinator of this extensive programme which applies the latest methods of cultural management, in compliance with EU and international standards.
Modern, state-of the-art research methods and techniques have been utilized - including aerial photography, satellite images, GIS mapping and Ground Penetrating Radar - dedicated to saving Rosia Montana's cultural heritage. This intricate public-private partnership effort has involved 80 independent experts, 250 workers and support staff, and some 23 national universities, museums, and other international institutions.
In Partnership for a Cultural Future
Our commitment to cultural patrimony is real and measurable, with over US$15 million already invested and an additional US$140 million pledged to the Romanian Government for work locally in Rosia Montana, and across the whole of Romania, through the life of the mine.
Gabriel continues to preserve some 160 houses located in the historical centre of Rosia Montana through maintenance work and has constructed a mining museum to permanently honour Rosia Montana's cultural heritage. Recently we have finalized a pledge to invest US$140 million over all phases of the Project in protection of the local heritage and culture in and around Rosia Montana, together with funding research, appraisal and restoration works of historical monuments across Romania. Without such external investment, numerous sites of archaeological and cultural importance may be irretrievably lost.
Preservation and conservation works remain ongoing, with significant finds being maintained in situ, with the implementation of ongoing programs in the areas of maintenance, restoration and development of cultural heritage, including:
- Urgent structural repairs and intervention involving not only historic but also buildings that collectively give a community its architectural character, sparing several building situated in the Rosia Montana Protected Area from accelerating deterioration and collapse.
- Design/restoration and maintenance of the houses in the Rosia Montana Historical Centre.
- Protection and structural support work of Building No. 326 to prevent the loss of this historical monument – an architectural symbol in the historical centre of Rosia Montana.
- Organisation of the mining museum with indoor and outdoor exhibitions together with public access to the archaeological protected areas.
- Major improvement of the infrastructure and specific programs for promoting tourism in parallel with the mining project.