Royal Mint
The Real Ingenio de Segovia was an innovative and pioneering mint. The building was designed to house modern machinery, known as ‘ingenios’, as well as the different departments of the industrial process. The new manufacturing system produced coins in a mechanised and mass-produced manner, being a precursor of the modern factories of the industrial revolution by more than 200 years. Philip II was able to mint coins here more quickly and perfectly. The Segovia Mint is recognised as one of the oldest and most important examples of industrial architecture in Europe. Built by King Philip II in 1583, it was the first mechanised mint in Spain, as well as the first to belong directly to the Crown.
This Renaissance technology consisted of a system of rolling and minting by means of mills moved by water wheels. This technique was invented in Augsburg around 1550, and before its introduction in Segovia, it was used in several European cities. The machines built in Hall (Austria) were brought to Spain in the largest industrial convoy known at that time.
The design of this avant-garde factory was the work of Juan de Herrera, one of the most influential and important architects in the history of Spain, who carried it out in collaboration with Austrian technicians.
The initial hydraulic roller minting system was replaced in 1771 by the flywheel press. This was introduced in Spain from France by the new Royal House, the Bourbons. The third and last technology that the Royal Mint of Segovia housed was that of minting by means of an automatic press. This system only worked for three years, as the last minting in Segovia, a medal commemorating the Republic, was carried out at the beginning of 1869.
The museum
The museum focuses on the technology and production systems and working methods necessary to mint coins. It reflects the long tradition of numismatic production in Segovia as well as the survival of a building that has maintained more than five centuries of industrial activity.
A privileged environment
The construction of the Royal Mint required particular orographic conditions. Philip II wanted to create a large modern complex capable of symbolising his absolute power and the wealth of the empire. A privileged enclave was chosen for this purpose on the banks of the Eresma River, between the suburbs of San Lorenzo and San Marcos. In this beautiful spot, which had been occupied since Celtiberian and Roman times, religious buildings coexisted with vegetable gardens, workshops and small mills. The new mint absorbed three medieval buildings: the churches of Santiago and San Gil, finally demolished in the 19th century, and a paper and wheat mill whose structure was partially used for the construction of the Ingenio Chico, the machinery used to make gold and silver coins.
Archaeological intervention and rehabilitation
After years of lethargy, an ambitious project was undertaken to recover one of Segovia's most emblematic monuments, comparable to the Cathedral, the Alcazar and the Aqueduct. In 2007, the comprehensive restoration of the building began, along with an exhaustive archaeological study and the analysis and reconstruction of the machinery used. After fifty months of passionate dedication on the part of great professionals from various disciplines, the original use of the Royal Mill has been restored, reflecting its evolution throughout history with the ultimate aim of conveying to the public the importance of one of the oldest examples of industrial architecture in Europe.
Temporary exhibitions
The museum hosts temporary exhibitions on a variety of subjects, generally linked to the mills and the manufacture of coins in other parts of the world, but it also includes in its regular activities exhibitions on subjects that are more distant from its day-to-day activities, which allows it to attract a wider public, attracted by the diversity of its content.
A visit to the museum
The museum can be visited freely with an audio guide, or with a guided tour, which takes place daily, both for groups by prior reservation and for individual visitors.
European Route of Industrial Heritage
The Royal Mint is part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), which allows for greater dissemination of this important heritage element beyond our borders.
Brochures and publications
The museum has information leaflets on the permanent exhibition, and visitors are also offered a complete guide prepared by experts in industrial heritage and the Segovia Mint, which provides an in-depth analysis of its history, its activity as a mint in the past and its present, a museum which has become one of the city's main attractions.
In addition, brochures and catalogues are produced for each of the temporary exhibitions, available at the reception desk and the museum shop respectively.
Activities
Since its opening, the Royal Mint has hosted a variety of activities aimed at a wide range of audiences: conferences, concerts and festivals, activities for families with children and even sporting activities.
The shop
The museum has a shop next to the visitor reception area where you can find a wide variety of products, with coin reproductions and specialised books being the most popular items.
Other museum items also include jewellery, souvenirs and products aimed at children. In short, a wide range of products related to the museum, its surroundings and the city of Segovia.