The Farga Rossell Iron Processing Center in La Massana is part of the artisan heritage of Andorra. After the restoration, the old forge became a place where, with the help of a multimedia show tour, you can learn the peculiarities of smithcraft, the importance of metallurgy for Andorra. Moreover, you can see how to get metal ingots from iron ore. One of the most interesting parts of such an educational tour is getting to know old devices (like bellows and stoves) important in metalworking.

Thanks to several local natural resources, domestic iron production began there in the Middle Ages. Andorrans knew about iron ore in the north of the country, even in the pre-industrial era. Moreover, the mountains covered with forest made it possible to produce charcoal.

The forge located on the riverbank had the hydraulic hammer driven by a stream of water. Two hammers were used alternately: the inclined one with a 700 kg head was used for metal cleaning, and the second one with a 350 kg head was used to form rods and finish the metal. Today, the repaired water wheels can still show how the hammer works.

The Farga Rossell demonstrates how iron ore was mined in the Pyrenees with the help of the forces of nature: fire, stone, water. Manual iron production was carried out from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The forge was built between 1842 and 1846. However, due to the rather rapid development of machine technology in the 19th century, artisans could no longer compete with industrial capacities.

The forge continued to operate until 1876, gradually ceasing artisanal production. The Farga Rossel was one of the last operating forges with iron production in both Andorra and the Pyrenees.

In addition to the interactive show, the museum tour is accompanied by multimedia content introducing visitors to the Pyrenean iron. Besides, you can learn about the production system called Catalan Forge.