The Museo Horno del Concejo, a medieval bread oven in Molina de Segura
The same building in Molina de Segura is also home to the local folklore museum
The large bread oven which has been restored as part of the Museo Horno del Concejo is one of the oldest structures remaining in Molina de Segura, and is inside a building which is typical of the 17th and 18th centuries in the oldest part of the town centre. Until the 18th century it was the only oven of its kind in the whole of the town, and the original structure has been maintained during renovation, with the rammed earth walls of the building housing a traditional “moruno” oven.
But the actual oven is far older than the building, and the earliest known reference to it dates from 1491, when Molina was one of the towns administered, and to all intents and purposes owned, by the Marquises de los Vélez. It remained in use for at least half a millennium, having finally fallen out of use in the 1970s.
The museum which was opened in 2010 includes the history of what was a vital part of the life of Molina for centuries, as well an audiovisual display showing the life and work of bakers and information regarding different kinds of bread. This video is seen inside the actual structure of the oven, where it is projected onto the walls.
Under the same roof is the Casa del Folclore, where there are displays showing the traditional music and dancing of Molina de Segura, while information panels in the water tank belonging to the building tell the tale of a Molina baker who won the hand of his sweetheart, the daughter of the local governor, by presenting her with a loaf specially baked for her, the “pan de amor”.
Location
The Museo Horno del Concejo and the Casa del Folclore in Molina de Segura are located at the corner of Calle del Castillo and Calle Cid Campeador, near the Plaza de Cristo Rey in the oldest part of the town, on the hill where the remains of the medieval castle stand.
Address: Calle Cid Campeador, 2, 30500 Molina de Segura, Región de Murcia
Telephone: 968 388519 (Town Hall Department of Culture)
Email: museo@molinadesegura.es
Opening hours (weekends only): October to May 18.00 to 20.00, June to September 19.00 to 21.00. Entrance and guided tours (in Spanish) are free.(Please check with the Tourist office if making a special journey as hours can change without notification).
Group visits can be booked on 968 219099.
On the third Sunday of every month there are free family workshops from 11.30 to 13.30: reservations should be made beforehand via Aldaba Congresos (968 219099), the Department of Tourism in the Town Hall (968 388522 or 968 388523) or the Department of Culture (968 388519).
Click for full information about the Molina de Segura municipality in English
