Sala is a locality and the seat of Sala Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden. As of 2010, it has a population of 12,289. Sala is the home of several famous places and people, but it is most known for its silver mine, which today is a popular tourist attraction. Silver mine The small town is best known for the historic Sala Silver Mine (Sala silvergruva), which is located about southwest of the town. It dates back to at least Medieval times, and was in operation until 1908. In 1624, the town of Sala was moved to its current location close to the mine, receiving its royal charter from King Gustavus Adolphus. The silver was important for Sweden's economy and the base for coin production. A total of 400 tonnes of silver was extracted, and 40,000 tonnes of lead; with at most 3-5 tonnes of silver during a year. The mine eventually reached a depth of , and a total heading length of . Amenities The main streets, in terms of retail outlets, are Drottninggatan (which begins at stora torget — the town square — and runs west to Ekebygatan) and Bergsmansgatan (which begins at stora torget and runs east to Kålgårdsgatan). The spa town of Sätra brunn, about from Sala, is another important place for the town. Måns Ols Utvärdshus Måns Ols Utvärdshus is a restaurant on the southeastern shore of Långforsen, a reservoir to the northwest of Sala's centre. The location was originally a dust keeper's home, and its first resident was Måns Olsson, who worked at the silver mine between 1709 and 1748. The building's purpose evolved, and from around 1791 it began serving food and drink. Starting in the summer seasons from the late 19th century, the venue played host to carnivals, performances and competitions. The current building was erected in the 1960s. The Skanevall family took over the business in 2002. Transportation Sala's bus and train station is located on Stationsplan, a short semi-circular road off Väsbygatan. About 35 trains from Stockholm Central Station (either directly or indirectly) arrive at the station each day, with around 40 making the return trip. The three high-speed SJ Snabbtåg trips take about one hour and twenty minutes. Journeys on SJ InterCity trains take a similar amount of time and run seven times a day. The slower SJ Regionaltåg trains take just over two hours but make around 20 trips