On October 22, the Salt Day in the Leintz Gaztaga salt mine, en Guipúzcoa. That day there will be a salt tasting with an organic rib skewer, a salt fair and organic products, as well as a salt soaps workshop. Also guided tours of the Museum of the Salt. The salt mine is surrounded by green mountains in the Leniz Valley, in the region of High Deba.
A different saline in Leintz Gaztaga
Leintz gaztaga has a 600-year tradition of making shawl. Unlike other saline towns, where saline exploitation is carried out by solar evaporation. Here, due to the cold and humidity, it was carried out through a meticulous process of water heating with wood fire.
The work in this saline was fundamentally feminine. The saltwater It was taken out of the well with wooden buckets and sent through channels to each of the 8 doria. Located next to the metal boiler where it was made boil for 4 hours by means of an internal fire fed with wood. Once the water has evaporated, the shawl It was at the bottom of the container. Production was limited by the availability of firewood.
With the passage of time the water level dropped, forcing successive excavations to increase the catchment possibilities. In the XNUMXth century the salty water from the well it was drawn by a water-powered wheel. The last century charcoal replaced firewood and in 1.950 two large boilers to boil the water until its evaporation.
But four years later, due to high production costs, manufacturing ceased. The Salt Museum It is located in the facilities used for production. It is possible to see some of the elements reconstructed and enjoy a unique space in Leintz Gaztaga.
