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Origin and history

The Catalan forge of Montgaillard was built at the edge of the 18th and 19th centuries, on the site of an ancient iron mill certified in the 15th century. This site illustrates the so-called "indirect" metallurgy, typical of the Ariegean Pyrenees, where iron was produced without going through the cast iron. Its originality lay in the use of a trumpet wind tunnel, operated by a vertical hydraulic wheel, supplemented later by martinets and heating furnaces when it was converted into a tile factory around 1860.

The buildings, built in thick rubble, reflect local rural architecture. The forge retained its original hydraulic device while integrating new tool manufacturing equipment. After an active period until the mid-20th century, the site was acquired in 1987 by the Ariège department. It is now protected under the Historical Monuments (inscription in 1993) and associated with the Forge Museum, perpetuating the memory of traditional metallurgical know-how.

The hydraulic wheel, the camshaft and the platinum hammer, still visible, bear witness to the artisanal processes used in the mill. These elements, combined with the honeycomb structure, offer a rare example of the Pyrenean industrial heritage associated with iron mining. The location in Montgaillard, in a preserved rural setting, reinforces its historical and technical interest, while stressing the key role of hydraulics in the pre-industrial activities of the region.

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