Iron ore loading docks on the estuary

The loading docks on the estuary are the final link in the chain of a complex transport system that took valuable iron ore from mines to the ships, to then be exported to European countries.
The loading docks in Barakaldo are the best set of loading docks still standing on the Nervión-Ibaizabal estuary and they comprise a landscape of highly valuable heritage.

Practical information

Historic information

360 Video

Orconera

Check how used to operate Orconera's loading bay in the 19th and 20th centuries: this innovative mechanical device brought the ore down from the mountains (inclined planes and aerial tramways) and the railways transported it to the major ports.

Virtual reconstruction