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THE MOLINOS DEL RIO_ CABALLERIZAS COMPLEX

11/10/2010 - 09/01/2011 | Exposición Permanente
Producciones Propias

The molinos del río_caballerizas complex belongs to the Department of Culture’s network of museums and Murcia City Council’s European Projects program.

The Molinos del Río Segura (Segura River Watermills) hydraulic museum is an on-site museum, forming part of a complex that is of great historical and artistic interest and in which one can see the flour mills that were built under the patronage of the Count of Floridablanca (from Murcia) following the project by Manuel Serrano in the year 1785. 

The complex was magnificently restored in 1989 by the architect Juan Navarro Baldeweg (Santander, 1939).  It currently displays the installations of the watermills and is used for temporary contemporary art exhibitions (the majority self produced) with the aim of disseminating and exploring the historical, ethnographic and archaeological aspects of Murcia’s culture, as well as establishing a dialogue with the past from a 21^st century point of view.

This site is located in the middle of Murcia’s city centre, opposite the Glorieta de España (where one finds the town hall) and on the right hand side of the Segura River, in one of the oldest districts of the town, the Barrio del Carmen district.

A large part of this museum’s essence lies in its facilities, since it is a building that stands out in the world of mills.

The tour begins on the ground floor of the building, where one can see the permanent exhibition entitled “How a mill works”, which explains the history and technological evolution of watermills from prehistoric times up to the present day.  The "Molinos Nuevos" (New Mill) or "Molinos del Rey" (King’s Mill), built under the patronage of the Count of Floridablanca, minister of King Charles III, receives particular attention in the area, as well as explaining the influence of the watermills that are scattered throughout the region.  The building that houses the mills has twenty-four stones, making it one of the largest in Europe.

The ground floor is also home to temporary art exhibitions and the Auditorium, where various events take place. 

 

Caballerizas (the stables) is one of the most emblematic parts of the city. The building, measuring almost 150 square metres, was destined to be the stables of the mills and of the Parador del Rey (where the King would have used to stop), meaning that it was built before the “Molinos Nuevos”, which is now the hydraulic museum.

Caballerizas is one of the rare examples of 18th century civil architecture that can still be seen in the city.  It is a solid building with a trapezoidal floor plan, built with dignified masonry with big sandstone ashlars in the corners, parapet and jambs of the openings.  In the interior, three pillars support the roof, which is made up of six hemispherical vaults.  Numerous artists have found this space to be the perfect place for displaying their work, meaning that the complex has become one of the most important areas for exhibiting modern art in Murcia.

Furthermore, on the first floor of the same building one finds the Environmental Education Resources Centre (CREA) and the Tourism, Festivals and Conferences Office.

On the second floor one can find the Museum Offices.

 

www.molinosdelrio.org

www.myspace.com/theriversoundsmurcia

www.murcia.es

Espacio Molinos del río_Caballerizas

C/ Los Molinos 1- 30002

Murcia (España )

 

Summer timetable:

Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm

Closed Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays

 

Winter timetable:

Monday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm

Closed Sundays and public holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

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