The ruins of the 18th-century artillery factory in Jimena de la Frontera

The ruins of the artillery factory in Jimena de la Frontera still bear the remnants of a past that was once significant. Constructed in the 18th century, the foundry was part of a series of artillery factories, with its construction proposed by Eduardo Boyetet to the monarch in 1761. Nearby, a mine of iron was found near San Pablo de Buceite that provided the necessary raw materials for the production, while wood from the local forests was used as fuel.

The foundry was moved by water transported through a canal. The canal, approximately 600 meters long and 4 meters wide, reached a depth of 5 meters. Constructed with heavy stonework, it entered into operation in 1780, coinciding with the siege of Gibraltar. The foundry's production did not prosper until 1777 and was abandoned in 1788. It was intended to cover the supply to the Indies, but a large part of its production was destined for Gibraltar during its siege.

The remains of the factory are located alongside the river Guadiaro, with the most significant remains found near the river Hozgarganta in La Pasada de Alcalá. These include works of water canalization and a large wall, which suffered from a lack of sufficient continuous flow that ultimately led to the abandonment of the site.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons