Langreo: Mining History, Architecture and Trails

The Pozu Fondón complex includes a 1917 engine house and the original entrance to the former La Nalona mine. Together, they connect Langreo’s industrial history with specific buildings and traces of mining. The Archivo Histórico del Pozu Fondón is open to researchers and interested members of the public seeking to consult materials on history and economics.

Industrial history and protected landscapes

Pozo San Luis inspired the Ecomuseo project and was designated a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Conjunto Histórico category in 2013. The Ecomuseo Minero Valle de Samuño also opened in 2013, after the industrial heritage around the mining settlement of La Nueva had been restored. In the Valle de Samuño, this industrial heritage meets a protected landscape: the valley is part of the Paisaje Protegido de las Cuencas Mineras and the Natura 2000 network.

The Sala Bayer at the Museo de la Siderurgia de Asturias (MUSI) offers another perspective on the history of technology. It documents the history of Aspirin and the establishment of a German pharmaceutical factory in Langreo. When planning your trip, you can combine an interest in industry and science with other cultural and historical themes.

Architecture, art and tradition

The Torre de Villa is a plain Renaissance-style tower with three storeys and square masonry. It stands near the River Nalón on an estate bordering the palace of the Marqueses de Camposagrado. At the Pinacoteca Municipal Eduardo Úrculo, the building and collection are closely connected: it is housed in an elegant complex of former municipal slaughterhouse buildings dating from 1919 and primarily displays Asturian art from the period after the Spanish Civil War, from 1936 to 1939.

Religious buildings and public art add their own distinctive touches. The Iglesia de San Esteban de Ciaño is of Romanesque origin and preserves two original portals. The south portal may date from the late 12th or early 13th century. The Ermita de El Carbayu is considered Baroque; its altarpiece is dated 1738. The Cine Felgueroso, meanwhile, is an elliptical building by architect Juan José Suárez and is one of the few examples of a German architectural movement from the 1950s. Along the Paseo Mitológico, you’ll encounter sculptures and paintings of mythological beings from Asturias.

Trails between peaks, river and industry

The PR-AS-44 Vuelta a Langreo is Langreo’s longest trail. It crosses the peaks along the municipal boundary and is divided into two sections because of its length. A long high-altitude trail in Langreo passes over peaks of more than 1,000 metres and through beech, chestnut and oak forests. The Ruta de los Puentes follows the River Nalón for around five kilometres and offers views of 19th-century bridges.

Other routes have their own focus: the Ruta siderúrgica por La Felguera is a circular trail that starts at the Museo de la Siderurgia de Asturias. The Ruta por el Valle del Samuño follows the greenway of the former Carbones La Nueva railway. Together, the trails described here range from peaks and forests to river views, a former railway line and a circular route starting at the museum.

Events and practical information

The Mercáu de la Revolución Industrial in La Nueva combines stalls offering typical products to taste with demonstrations by craftspeople, including clog makers and wood and stone sculptors. Check the current programme before you travel. The Jornadas de la Sidra Natural de La Felguera centre on a cider-pouring competition and tastings of natural cider from several Asturian cider producers.

Langreo has public train and bus connections to key parts of Asturias, the Comarca del Nalón and Mieres. As routes and service frequencies may change, check the timetable before travelling. Discover more destinations: Langreo, Cotariella De Escobio, San Martín Del Rey Aurelio, Caso, Gijón, Peñamellera Alta, Colunga, Valle del Nalón.

For the regional travel overview: Asturias.