Sagunto reclaims its maritime past with new 'Sagunt i la Mar' museum
After years of EU-funded restoration, the Grau Vell (historic port area) opens a five-room museum tracing the city's seafaring history from the Iberian era to the present day.
An 18th-century warehouse inside the Grau Vell fortified complex has been transformed into a cultural museum. Its five themed rooms guide visitors through Iberian seafaring traditions, the 20th-century industrial port of Puerto de Sagunto (coastal district), the Arse-Saguntum archaeological site, the protected Marjal dels Moros wetlands, and the fort's own restoration story. The adjacent fort dates to the 15th century — first recorded in 1459 under King Juan II of Castile — and sits within a site showing twelve centuries of uninterrupted occupation, documented by archaeologist Carmen Aranegui from the Universitat de València. The Grau Vell holds the highest heritage protection status in Spain (BIC — Cultural Asset of National Interest).
Mayor Darío Moreno and Heritage Councillor Natalia Antonino attended the opening ceremony. The exhibition design was carried out by Reinadecorazones Cultura de Proyectos SL under a municipal contract. Admission is free. Hours are 10:30–14:00 and 17:00–20:00, Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and public holidays; Sunday mornings only. Free guided tours run Thursday to Monday at 10:30, with an afternoon session on Fridays and Saturdays as well. European Union NextGenerationEU funds covered the project costs, according to Sagunto City Council.