Iron Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Bragança > Torre de Moncorvo > Torre de Moncorvo > Centro

Location:

The Iron Museum is located in the heart of Torre de Moncorvo's historic centre. It stands next to the imposing Mother Church, classified as a National Monument, placing it in a central and easily accessible area of the town.

A Look at the Region and Iron:

This museum is a cultural institution dedicated to preserving and disseminating the region's heritage. It focuses particularly on the long history of iron exploration, a mineral wealth that has marked this territory for centuries. Moncorvo boasts one of Europe's largest iron deposits, exploited since Roman times, with peaks of activity in different periods, including large-scale extraction in the 20th century. The museum seeks to connect this mining history to local communities and heritage, addressing aspects such as archaeology and ethnography.

The Richness of Iron on Display:

Inside the museum, visitors are invited on a journey through local history and geology. A first room, dubbed the "Knowledge Workshop", offers an introduction to the region, highlighting geographical elements such as the Vilariça Valley and the Serra do Roboredo. Delving into the central theme, the "Iron Room" explores iron mining and metallurgy. Here, it is possible to learn about forges and the work of blacksmiths, the geology of the mines, the origins of this industry in the region, the impact of the Industrial Revolution, and the more recent history of exploration by Ferrominas (between 1951 and the 1980s).

Outdoor and Cultural Space:

At the back of the main building, there is a pleasant outdoor space. This orchard-garden, organized in typical regional terraces, invites a moment of tranquility. At the end of the garden, on a lawn, there is an auditorium, a space designed to host cultural events, lectures, or temporary exhibitions.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt