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The El Pobal Forge stands in the municipal area of the town of Muskiz. In this water-driven facility, iron ore was wrought into all types of tools and utensils. It was built at the beginning of the sixteenth century by the Salazars, the family that ruled over the area from the Muñatones Castle, and it continued operating until 1965.
Its period of maximum splendour came at the end of the seventeenth century, when the workshop and was extended and the hydraulic facilities were rebuilt. However, much of the buildings and machinery we can see today date from the end of the nineteenth century, when the last iron workers were struggling to survive in a technologically more advanced world.
A whole manufacturing complex grew up around the forge, including the ironworkers houses, the flour mill, the bread ovens, the vegetable gardens and the hills that supplied the forge with timber and charcoal.
Open to the public since 2004, El Pobal is a living museum dedicated to two of the most important preindustrial activities of the province: iron manufacture and milling. Visitors to this beautiful spot on the banks of the Barbadun river can see the two water wheels in action.
Director: Marta Zabala
Address: Barrio de El Pobal s/n. Carretera Muskiz-Sopuerta. 48550. MUSKIZ
Telephone: 629 27 15 16
E-mail: elpobal@bizkaia.eus
Website: www.bizkaikoa.bizkaia.eus/elpobal
October-May
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 2pm / 4pm - 7pm
Sundays and public holidays: 10am - 2pm
November-April
Tuesday – Sunday and public holidays: 10am - 2pm
Mondays: Closed
Closed 1 & 6 January, 25 December.
Demonstration: Every Saturday at 12 pm.
All visits are with a guide.
Activities for school groups:
Educational guides.
Breadmaking with wheat and corn flour.
Iron workshop.
"Route of forges".
Among the trees.
Water and energy.
Gaztelutxiki - Muñatones Castle
Gift shop.
Accessible to persons with mobility problems.
Car-park.
General: €3 (guided tour) / €5 (guided tour + demonstration).
Reduced: € 2,50 (guided tour) / € 3,50 (guided tour + demonstration), under-26s, over-60s, people with disabilities, unemployed, OAPs, large families and groups of over 10 adults.
Free: children up to 12 years old, accredited teachers, guides and journalists, Museum Day (Friday), International Museum, Day (18 May), local fiestas, NagusiTxartela, ICOM card.
School and leisure groups: €1 per pupil (guided tour) / €2 € per pupil (guided tour + educational workshop).
