Martinete of Navafría

The Martinete of Navafría is a historic water-powered forge tucked into the valley of the Cega river, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, in the province of Segovia. It is one of the last workshops in Europe where copper is still hammered by hand using a hammer driven entirely by water power.

What is a martinete and how does it work?

A martinete is a traditional hydraulic forge: a waterwheel turned by the current of the Cega river drives a wooden shaft, which in turn raises and drops a massive hammer that strikes an anvil in a steady rhythm. Blacksmiths used this force to work molten copper, letting the repeated blows flatten and shape the metal until it reached the desired thickness and form. The workshop's output included cauldrons, bed warmers, and braziers that served households across the region for generations.

The history behind the forge

The hydraulic works on this site date back to the 18th century, but the building took its current industrial form in the early 19th century, when the Abán brothers, Enrique and Manuel, blacksmiths originally from Soria, settled in this part of Segovia and reworked the older hydraulic installations to adapt them for copper forging. The martinete that resulted has kept its original mechanism and working method ever since. In 1998, the regional government of Castilla y León declared it a Bien de Interés Cultural (Cultural Heritage Site) with Monument status, recognizing its exceptional value as a testimony to traditional metalworking.

What will you see on site?

Visitors can examine the complete hydraulic system in place — the waterwheel, the transmission shaft, and the forging hammer itself — and follow the copper-making process step by step. The site now operates as an ethnographic museum, displaying tools, finished copperware, and the history of the blacksmith families who worked here. It offers a rare chance to see working 19th-century industrial technology set against the mountain backdrop of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

How to get there?

The martinete stands near Navafría, in the province of Segovia, within reach of other villages in the area, including Aldealengua de Pedraza. Access is via local roads that follow the Cega valley — the terrain is mountainous, so a car is the practical way to arrive, and it is worth setting aside time to walk among the pine forests of the Sierra de Guadarrama nearby.

When to visit?

The area has a mountain climate, and the most pleasant conditions for a visit fall in spring and early autumn, when temperatures are mild and the river valley is at its greenest. In summer, water levels in the Cega can drop, which is worth keeping in mind if seeing the waterwheel in full motion matters to you. Winter can bring snow to the surroundings, adding to the scenery but making the approach roads harder to travel.

Frequently asked questions

How is a martinete different from a regular forge? A martinete uses water power to drive its hammer, whereas a conventional forge relies on a blacksmith working the hammer and bellows by hand. That hydraulic drive is what makes this workshop technologically distinctive.

Why is the Navafría martinete considered so significant? It is regarded as the last workshop in Europe where copper is still hammered by hand using a water-driven hammer — a unique surviving example of traditional craftsmanship, protected since 1998 as a Cultural Heritage Site.

What exactly was produced at this martinete? Its main output was household copperware — cauldrons, bed warmers, and braziers — used in homes throughout the Segovia region.

Does the hammer still work? The installation has preserved its historic mechanism and can still be set in motion, letting visitors watch firsthand how 19th-century metalworking technology powered by river water actually operated.