Museo Histórico "El Dique", museum of Puerto Real, Spain
Museo Historico El Dique occupies the grounds of the former Matagorda shipyard and displays the history of ship production. The site features exhibition halls, a working dry dock, and a small chapel with Neo-Romanesque architecture.
The site began in the 16th century as a fortress under King Felipe II and later became a modern shipyard. The transformation into an industrial facility brought technical innovations that shaped Spain's naval industry.
The name refers to the old dry dock that was central to the shipyard's work. Visitors can see the structures and machinery that reveal how ships were built and maintained.
The best time to visit is on quieter weekdays when you can move freely through the halls and around the dock area. The site is quite large, so plan for at least 2 to 3 hours to explore everything.
The dry dock was built with a sophisticated system of wooden pilings and stone blocks that held ships securely in place. This historical construction method shows how engineers created impressive structures without modern technology.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
