House of Water

The Casa del Agua in Bres is an interpretative centre that serves as a starting point for understanding Taramundi’s hydraulic heritage. The museum explains the origins and workings of the traditional water-powered machinery that can be visited in the municipality, such as the Os Teixóis ethnographic site, the Mazonovo Mills Museum and the numerous mills dotted along the rivers and streams in the area.

Through display panels, models and reconstructions, the centre allows visitors to discover the use of hydraulic power throughout history, both in Taramundi and in other cultures around the world, highlighting the various uses of water: for consumption, irrigation or even for measuring time. It also explores the current uses of water and the effects of climate change.

Before becoming a museum, the building was a rural school opened in 1930, built thanks to contributions from emigrants from Bres in Argentina. It functioned as a school until the 1990s, and the name ‘Escuela Hispano-Argentina de Comercio’ can still be read on its façade. Inside, there is also a small recreation of an old classroom.

In addition, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions relating to water, local trades or the area’s landscapes. It also has a bookshop specialising in nature-related topics. Visitors can explore the museum at their own pace or take a guided tour.