Rajolar de Bauset

Rajolar de Bauset is a former brick and tile factory in Paiporta, a town just outside Valencia, now converted into a museum dedicated to traditional brickmaking. Its tall brick chimney, visible from a distance, still marks the site's industrial past.

What is this place?

The factory was established in 1924 by the couple Francisco Bauset Moltó and Teresa Masiá Miralles. It also operated under the name "El Pilar" brick and tile works, one of many such factories that sprang up around Valencia during the construction boom of the 1920s. The Bauset-Olcina family kept production running intermittently over the following decades. In 1965 the site was leased out and continued operating under the name Ceràmica Valenciana until the 1990s.

How did a brickyard become a museum?

In December 1994 the Paiporta town council purchased the site and began the restoration process. Renovation work itself started in April 1997 and wrapped up in October 2000. The museum building opened to the public on 5 October 2000, and a year later it was incorporated into the Valencian regional museum network, the Sistema de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana.

What will you see on site?

Today the building houses an ethnological museum with a permanent exhibition on brick and tile production and the community that depended on it. Visitors can follow the full manufacturing process — clay extraction, shaping, drying, and firing in the kiln — and see preserved pieces of the original industrial infrastructure, including the distinctive factory chimney that still serves as a local landmark in this part of Paiporta. The exhibition also covers the working and living conditions of the people employed at the brickyard during the first half of the 20th century.

How do you get there?

Paiporta sits in the L'Horta Sud comarca, just southwest of the city of Valencia, so the trip from the capital typically takes somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five minutes by car or public transport. It makes an easy stop for visitors exploring the wider Valencia area who are looking for lower-key, local attractions beyond the historic centre.

When should you visit?

As a museum, Rajolar de Bauset can be visited year-round, though it's worth checking current opening hours before setting off, since smaller regional museums often close on certain days or run reduced hours outside peak tourist season. Spring and autumn are especially pleasant times to pair a visit with a walk around the town.

Frequently asked questions

What was Rajolar de Bauset originally? A brick and tile factory founded in 1924 by Francisco Bauset Moltó and Teresa Masiá Miralles, also known as the "El Pilar" brickworks.

When did it become a museum? The museum building opened on 5 October 2000, following restoration carried out between 1997 and 2000, and joined the Valencian regional museum network in 2001.

What can you see inside? A permanent exhibition on the history of local brick and tile production and the community built around it, along with preserved elements of the original factory, including its landmark chimney.

Is it suitable for families? Yes — museums of this kind typically present the manufacturing process in a clear, visual way, making it easy for children interested in history and craftsmanship to follow along.