The MUDEM museum and the medieval wall of Molina de Segura
A highly interactive museum in Molina which makes medieval history fun!
The Museo del Enclave de la Muralla (or MUDEM) in Molina de Segura was designed to house and display to the public the remains of the medieval wall which was built almost a thousand years ago by the Moors to protect the town of Mulinat-as-Sikka, and features a wide variety of highly interactive exhibits which make the field of medieval history an interesting one for visitors of practically all ages.
The remains of the wall were not discovered until 2004, underlining the extent to which the history of Molina has literally been lost from sight as the town has grown, with old walls lying underneath newer buildings or, in some cases, having been dismantled for the stone to be re-used.
As visitors make their way along the wall, a series of displays provides information regarding both the structure and features of the town’s defences in the Middle Ages and the history of Molina until the 15th century. Many of the displays are interactive, while the wall itself features a nine-sided tower – the only one of its kind yet discovered in Murcia - and the typical “double hairpin” entry gate, which slowed down potential attackers and allowed defenders to attack them from above.
The walls which surrounded the settlement on the small hill of Molina on the east bank of the Segura define the area of the old town centre, and those which can now be seen in the MUDEM museum date from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. There are documented references to a fortress here in the 9th century, but these are probably related to the hilltop fortification, which is now the Mirador del Castillo viewing point. Here there are the remains of a four-sided tower, which has been supported by a 12-metre wall.
As for the wall, it is known that it was punctuated by lookout towers approximately every 20 metres, and that it was extensively reformed in the early 13th century, as tension mounted prior to the eventual Reconquista of Murcia from the Moors by the Christian forces of Castilla. At this point the height of the 2-metre-thick defensive structure was raised to approximately 8 metres, while at the same time it was made stronger by a 7-metre moat outside it, and only slight further modifications are known to have been made after the Reconquista.
There were at least two gates, one at the end of Calle Consolación, leading towards Murcia, and the other which was found during the excavation work at the Maximino Moreno factory, which has subsequently become the museum: this latter entrance is known as the “Puerta del Campo”, the gate to the countryside.
Other fragments of the medieval wall are those in Calle Pensionista, where one part has been incorporated into the Molina de Segura tourist office and another is in the basement of a residential building, and in the square in front of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, but the largest consists of the 125 metres which are now included in the MUDEM museum, which opened in March 2016.
Visiting the museum
A visit to the MUDEM consists primarily of a walk along the 125 metres of defensive structures which were found during the excavation work in 2004, a prospect which could quite easily be fairly monotonous if it were not for the highly informative and enjoyable displays and features which make learning a pleasure.
This include a 3D activity in which special goggles have to be worn and those taking part are asked to throw rocks at invading forces, another item which converts two-dimensional images on the pages of a book into 3D figures, and a very informative timeline (in both Spanish and English) showing the history during the Middle Ages of both Molina and the Region of Murcia.
In addition there are displays covering every detail of how the wall was built, the materials used, the processes followed and excellent audiovisuals showing every detail of how the walls would have appeared when in use.
Inside the same building are also a digital archive, the auditorium which seats 240 and which is named after Virginia Martínez, the conductor of the Region of Murcia Symphony Orchestra and a native of Molina, and an exhibition space.
Opening hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am to 2pm
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm
Saturday: 11am to 1.30pm and 5.30pm to 8pm
Sunday 11am to 1.30pm
Guided tours are offered at the weekends. See feed below for current times.
Group visits should be booked in advance by telephone on 968 388 562.
NB: The museum is closed during August
Click to contact Molina de Segura tourist office if you are interested in organising a group visit to Molina de Segura.
Click for more information about Molina de Segura
How to get to the MUDEM museum
The MUDEM is located in Calle Ibn Arabi, next to the N-301 road which skirts Molina de Segura on the western side and alongside one of the large industrial chimneys which have been preserved as reminders of the importance of industry in the history of the town.
