History of El Pobal forge
In the heart of the mining area of Bizkaia, on the banks of the Barbadún river, lies El Pobal Forge. In operation from the 16th century, it is a hydraulic factory that worked with iron ore to turn it into metal and make all kinds of tools (rakes, hammers, hoes, pick axes, etc.) for domestic use, among others.
A bit of history
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In the heart of the mining area of Bizkaia, on the banks of the Barbadun river, lies El Pobal Forge, a hydraulic factory that worked with iron ore to turn it into metal and make all kinds of tools (rakes, hammers, hoes, pick axes, etc.) for domestic use, among others. It is the best preserved forge of the many there once were in Bizkaia – over 200! – and the only one in the Basque Country that has reached the present day with a significant portion of its original machinery (the hydraulic wheel, the mallet, the bellows, etc.), making it an extraordinarily valuable site.
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It was built in the early 16th century by a factional family that dominated the region from Muñatones Castle, the Salazar family, and was in operation until 1965 no less.
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Its golden age was at the end of the 17th century when the workshop was expanded and the dam, channel, millponds and hydraulic tunnel were rebuilt. However, a good amount of the constructions and machinery on display today are from the mid-19th century. A manufacturing complex was built around the forge including the forgers’ housing, which looked like a tower house, the mill, with two stone walls to grind wheat and corn, the baker’s oven, the gardens and the mountains which supplied coal and wood.
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Now owned by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, El Pobal is a living museum with demonstrations, guided tours and a varied programme aimed at all kinds of audiences to show two of the most important preindustrial activities in Bizkaia: iron manufacturing and milling.