Casa de los Duendes in Puerto Lumbreras

Casa de los Duendes, in the historic center of Puerto Lumbreras in the Region of Murcia, is a 19th-century townhouse now repurposed as a municipal cultural space. The building stands on the corner of Calle Francisco Tirado and Calle Doctor Caballero and is one of the last surviving examples of this style of residential architecture in the town.

Where does the "House of the Goblins" name come from?

The name Casa de los Duendes ("House of the Goblins") is the first thing that catches a visitor's attention. The house originally belonged to a family locally known as "Los Mayorajos" and represented the typical residence of a well-off bourgeois family in Lumbreras. It was later acquired by the town council (Ayuntamiento de Puerto Lumbreras), which carried out a full restoration and rehabilitation project, preserving the historic architecture while adapting the interior for new public uses.

What is inside the building today?

Following its rehabilitation, Casa de los Duendes now functions as a multi-purpose cultural venue. Inside, visitors can find:

• a temporary exhibition hall hosting rotating thematic shows,
• rooms used for workshops and educational activities,
• a screening room,
• a conference room used for talks and municipal events.

The building also permanently houses the Augusto Vels Graphology Museographic Collection. Augusto Vels was a noted graphologist connected to Puerto Lumbreras, and the collection documents his body of work and methods of handwriting analysis.

Why visit Casa de los Duendes?

For anyone exploring Puerto Lumbreras, the building offers a rare chance to see the town's historic bourgeois architecture up close while also experiencing its living cultural program. Rather than a static monument viewed only from the outside, it is a working space where 19th-century architecture coexists with a rotating calendar of exhibitions and events. Its location right in the old town center makes it easy to combine a visit with a walk through the rest of the historic quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Casa de los Duendes? It is a 19th-century bourgeois townhouse in the center of Puerto Lumbreras, now converted into a cultural center with an exhibition hall, workshop rooms, a screening room and a conference room.

Where does the name "House of the Goblins" come from? It is the building's traditional local name. The house itself previously belonged to a family known as "Los Mayorajos" before passing to the town council and being restored for public use.

What collection can visitors see inside? Casa de los Duendes hosts the Augusto Vels Graphology Museographic Collection, dedicated to the work of the Lumbreras-born graphologist Augusto Vels.

Where exactly is the building located? It stands on the corner of Calle Francisco Tirado and Calle Doctor Caballero, in the historic center of Puerto Lumbreras in the Region of Murcia. Current opening hours and exhibition details are best confirmed directly with the town council or the local tourism office.