The Royal Brass Factories and their historic site

Today's Riópar was born around a factory. In 1773, the Austrian engineer Juan Jorge Graubner obtained from Charles III the concession of a calamine mine, from which zinc is extracted, and of the forests and waters of the area to set up a brass and bronze factory, the first of its kind in Spain. It operated for more than two hundred years, until 1996. The village that grew around it was called Fábricas de San Juan de Alcaraz until the early 1990s, when it became Riópar.

The museum, closed for works

Part of its premises is the Museum of the Royal Factories of San Juan de Alcaraz, an industrial archaeology museum which also houses the tourist office. In November 2026 the Town Hall announces it as temporarily closed for works. When it is open, admission costs €2, and €1.50 for children aged 4 to 12, pensioners and people with disabilities; in winter it opens Tuesday to Sunday mornings, and on Fridays and Saturdays in the afternoon too. Before you go, call the tourist office to find out whether it has reopened.

The guided route

In the meantime, Mundo Aventura Riópar runs a 3 km guided route with a local guide through the factory buildings and along the Caz de Cortes, the system of ponds, channels and waterfalls that powered industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. It lasts two hours, the physical level is low and it is suitable for all ages: €20, free for under-10s, with a minimum of three people. Its listing says the visit begins at the museum and includes admission; with the museum closed, ask when you book how it works now.

On your own: the Factories Trail

The industrial complex of the Riópar Metal Factories has been a Site of Cultural Interest with Historic Site status since July 2010. The Town Hall has waymarked a route, the Riópar Factories Trail (Sendero de las Fábricas de Riópar), which follows the water from the mountain springs to the mills, forge hammers and falls that turned it into motive power and electricity. It has explanatory panels and arrows, low difficulty, and can be done as a family or by bike. It passes through some of the village's best-known streets and then along tracks and paths in good condition, with views of the valley, the river Mundo and the mountains of the natural park. At the tourist office they sell a guide to the trail for €2, and on the municipal website there is a map with the tracks.

If you only have a little time, the Town Hall suggests a walk of less than 1 km from the old town, suitable for everyone, following the Caz de las Fábricas, a long aqueduct that brought water from the Gollizo pond, also called the Molino reservoir. The pond is also a good place to see birds, and on summer nights you can hear the song of amphibians.

To round off the day

Afterwards, go up to Riópar Viejo, the medieval village on the hill, to see the contrast between old Riópar and industrial Riópar. Or go down to the Source of the river Mundo, less than 10 km away.