Real de la almadraba de Nueva Umbría, Industrial fishing complex in Lepe, Spain.
Real de la Almadraba de Nueva Umbría is a tuna fishing facility at the Piedras River mouth with residential buildings, a captain's house, and industrial structures. The complex sits within a natural park setting and is reached by wooden pathways connecting both riverbanks.
The National Tuna Fishing Consortium built the facility in 1928 as a fishing village with hundreds of workers. Operations ended in 1963, leaving behind an abandoned complex now protected as a heritage site.
The complex shows traditional tuna fishing methods through its preserved buildings like tar smelting areas and workshops. These structures tell the story of the fishers and their families who lived and worked here.
The site is best explored on foot, with wooden boardwalks and paved paths crossing the grounds and allowing walks along the riverbank. Weather and seasons affect path conditions, especially after rain when surfaces can be slippery.
The facility features a Roman-style dock built with local grauwaca stone and cyclopean concrete, displaying a distinctive herringbone pattern on the ground. This engineering work shows the careful planning behind the entire project.
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