Albaola Basque Maritime Factory
Discover the extraordinary Basque seafaring tradition at this working shipyard, where traditional wooden vessels are still being constructed using historic techniques.
About Albaola Basque Maritime Factory
Basque Country
Hidden inside the harbour of Pasaia is one of the Basque Country’s most fascinating living museums: Albaola, a working shipyard where traditional boatbuilding techniques are still practised. Rather than simply looking at an artefact behind glass, here you can watch craftsmen work with wood, rope and metal using techniques that have been passed down through generations.
The experience centres on the San Juan, a 16th-century Basque whaling ship that sank off Labrador in 1565 and was discovered by Canadian underwater archaeologists in 1978. Albaola began reconstructing the vessel in 2014 using historical research and traditional methods, reviving skills such as ship carpentry, blacksmithing, sailmaking and rope-making. It is a brilliant example of living heritage and cultural immersion, rather than a conventional museum.
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