History of Blast furnace no. 1 Altos Hornos de Vizcaya

Blast Furnace No. 1 is the most important legacy remaining of the emblematic Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, the largest iron and steel business in southern Europe and the largest company in Spain for a good part of the 20th century.
In 2005, the Basque government declared this industrial landmark a Cultural Asset, classified as a Monument.

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A bit of history

  • Blast Furnace No. 1 is the most important legacy remaining of the emblematic Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, the largest iron and steel business in southern Europe and the largest company in Spain for a good part of the 20th century.

  • The blast furnace is a continuous shaft furnace built with refractory materials, with an exterior housing of welded sheet metal making up the framing. Its imposing structure, which is 80 metres tall, is one of the most appealing constructions in the factory town.

  • In 2005, the Basque government declared this industrial landmark a Cultural Asset, classified as a Monument. Since then, public institutions have been working to recover and enhance it.

  • The blast furnace can be seen from the lookout point on calle Txabarri in Sestao, which is on the Sestao Workers’ Route.