Industrial Heritage of Riopar

Historical Complex of the Metal Factories of Riópar

The Historical Complex of the Metal Factories of Riópar is a millestone of our industrial history.  These were the first brass production factories ever in the country, formerly established at the bottom of the only well-known zinc mine in the Iberian Peninsula at the time,  the late 18th century. The mine is within the Natural Park of "Calares del Mundo y de la Sima", a land of enormous ecological value.

Carlos III, the King gave the title of Royal Factory in 1773. Its promoter, the Austrian engineer Juan Jorge Graubner, raised an industrial colony  that origined the town of Riópar. The factories have been constantly in use, till they finally closed down in 1996. This fact has made them a very significant example of the relationship between industry, nature and society , being more than 230 years old.  

Due to the importance that the factory holds within the national industrial context it has been included in the National Plan for Industrial Heritage of the Ministry of Culture.

The factory complex must be perceived as a whole, spread along an extension of 10 km and  with 22,700 sq.m of floor surface: The Zinc mines of "San Jorge" and "San Agustín", factories of "San Miguel" (village of "Laminador"), "San Luis", "San Carlos" (where the museum is located), "San Juan" (the Church and the management offices building), "San Rafael", together with the workers' and managers' houses, and the roads and hydraulic facilities. Each part of the Historical Complex is related to the rest and also within its own complete production process, from the extraction of the mineral from the insides of the mountain to metal tillage process and the distribution of artistic and industrial items to the markets.

In 1801, the date of Graubner's death, the historical complex was already designed. Juan de Villanueva, architect of the Museum of the Prado, or Carlos Lemaur, architect of the Channel of Castilla, were also part of the design. During the 200 following years, the architectonic interventions were given by the reorganization of the production stage leaving some factories less in use than others. It is important to highlight the refurbishing works at the beginning of the 19th century which were carried out by Agustín de Larramendi, especially the configuration of "Caz Cortés" (a channel). During the second half of the 19th century, several buildings with "shed covers" were built ant they still remain in "San Jorge".

The mines stopped being in operation at the beginning of the 20th century, but the arts and crafts of brass continued being developed.  The factories, "Fábricas de San Juan de Alcaraz" worked as an industrial colony until the last years of Franco's regime. When democracy arrived, the workers bought their own houses. Once the Metallurgical Industry was closed, the factory kept on going under a cooperative regime and it finally closed down in 1996.

 “Los de fábricas”, (those who worked and lived in Riópar) still working with bronze and brass nowadays in different companies that were originally developed by previous workers of the Metal Factory (Artesanía Limón, Bronces Riópar y Fundición artística Lozano). They keep the old techniques, models and molds which were used in the old times.  These workers are the ones to hold the flag for the memories of this ancient skill, which is what people from Riópar have done for a living since it was established.

The industrial heritage of Riópar is still well alive, and it has been transferred from one generation to the next one until  the present times, which today can be enjoyed thanks to the hospitality of its people.