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The Ice-Box


Ла-Мата-де-Морелья

Situated in the historic centre, it was built in the early 17th century and reformed during the 18th. Snow was collected from various La Mata ‘snowfields’, bringing it down to the enormous ice-box well which occupies most of the ice-box space.  Thick layers of snow would be placed between layers of straw which helped maintain the temperature. Then, it would be removed through a little door for sale and other uses. This ice-box would drain into the porches in the main square where the drain outlet is located in addition to a small basin where the melted water could be recovered for re-use. Following meticulous restoration work, the ice-box now houses the espadrille ethnological museum.