Museo de las Brujas (Witches Museum)

Museo de las Brujas (Witches Museum) in Zugarramurdi tells the story of one of Spain's most notorious witch trials. Zugarramurdi is a small village in northern Navarre, right on the French border, that became the epicenter of a Spanish Inquisition witch hunt in the early 17th century.

Where does the Zugarramurdi legend come from?

The story starts with María Ximildegui, a woman who, after settling in the village, is said to have taken part in nighttime gatherings known as akelarre. When she changed her mind, she began denouncing her neighbors, setting off a wave of accusations that the Inquisition pursued between 1609 and 1614. It became one of the largest witch trials to take place on Spanish soil, and it still shapes the village's identity and tourist appeal today.

What will you see inside?

The museum has been open since July 20, 2007, and occupies the building of the village's former hospital, founded by the Dutaria family in 1788 — the building itself has a history of its own, long before it became an exhibition space.

The visit opens with a short introduction to the Xareta district, the cross-border Basque region Zugarramurdi belongs to, followed by an audiovisual presentation on the witch hunt carried out by the Inquisition in the early 1600s, built around staging and effects rather than a dry recital of facts.

On the first floor, you follow the course of the Inquisition trial against the villagers. The second floor broadens the scope, moving into Basque culture and mythology, everyday life in Zugarramurdi at the time, and the customs that inquisitors used as grounds for launching the witch hunt in the first place.

How do you get there, and what pairs well with the visit?

Zugarramurdi sits in northern Navarre, surrounded by the green hills typical of this part of the Basque Country, right next to the French border. The museum is located in the village center, so it's an easy walk once you arrive.

The best plan is to pair the museum with the nearby Witches' Caves (Cuevas de Zugarramurdi), about 300 meters from the museum building. Local tradition holds that this is where the nighttime gatherings described in the Inquisition records took place. Starting at the museum to get the historical context, then walking over to the cave to see the site itself, makes for a natural sequence.

When is the best time to visit?

Zugarramurdi is a small village, so it's worth checking the museum's current opening hours before you go — outside the summer months, tourist traffic here is noticeably lighter than during the holiday season. A visit to the exhibition itself usually takes about an hour; allow half a day for the area if you're combining it with the cave.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the museum different from the Witches' Caves? The museum is an exhibition building in the village center — a former hospital — that tells the story of the Inquisition trial through staging and audiovisual displays. The caves are a natural rock formation about 300 meters away, believed to be the site of the alleged nighttime gatherings.

When did the Zugarramurdi witch trial take place? The most intense wave of investigations and Inquisition trials ran from 1609 to 1614, triggered by María Ximildegui's testimony.

Where exactly is the museum building located? It occupies the former village hospital, founded by the Dutaria family in 1788, right in the center of Zugarramurdi.

What will I see on each floor? The first floor covers the history of the Inquisition trial, while the second floor is devoted to Basque culture and mythology and to everyday village life in the 17th century.