Sagunto's Ancient Harbour Fort Opens as Mediterranean Culture Centre
After nearly a decade of restoration, the Fortí del Grau Vell — Sagunto's former Ibero-Roman port site — opens to the public on 25 June with five themed rooms and free guided tours.
Sagunto has a new heritage attraction: the Fortí del Grau Vell, listed as a Cultural Heritage Asset (BIC), opens on Friday 25 June as the Interpretation Centre of Mediterranean Culture and the Port of Arse-Saguntum. The site served as the city's active harbour from the 6th century BC until 1907, when a new industrial port was built three kilometres to the north, leaving the old harbour to fall into disuse. The five themed rooms inside the 18th-century former warehouse trace the full arc of Sagunto's maritime history: the Ibero-Roman era, the industrial port and the former steelworks complex, the archaeological site including underwater excavations, the Marjal dels Moros wetlands and the restoration process itself. A replica of the 18th-century cannon 'El Destruidor' has been placed in the defensive battery. Restoration and museography ran from 2018 to 2026, co-funded by EU Next Generation funds, the Spanish 1.5% Cultural programme, the Provincial Council of Valencia, Red Eléctrica Española and FEDER. The centre joins the Sagunt. Suma de Cultures municipal network. Opening hours: Mon–Sat and public holidays 10:30–14:00 and 17:00–20:00; Sundays 10:30–14:00 only. Free guided tours: Mon–Thu at 10:30, Fri–Sat at 18:30. Reported by Sagunto City Council and El Periódico de Aquí.