The 1610 Inquisitorial trial in Logroño resulted in the accusation of 53 people from Zugarramurdi for witchcraft.
The museum is housed in the 'Hospital de la Villa', which dates back to the 17th century.
The term 'akelarre' refers to the meadow of the billy goat where rituals were said to occur, located near the museum.
The museum uses research from the archives of the Inquisition to verify the historical trials.
Local Basque folklore and pre-Christian beliefs are central to explaining the 'witch' identity of the region.
The museum highlights the social conflict between traditional healers and the arriving inquisitorial bureaucracy.
The Witch Museum (Museo de las Brujas) is located in the former local hospital of Zugarramurdi, a village historically associated with 17th-century inquisitorial processes. The facility documents the social history of witchcraft, focusing on the 1610 Logroño Trial that investigated inhabitants of the valley. Visitors explore the transition from pre-Christian Basque pagan rituals to the Inquisition's societal repression. Exhibits utilize audio-visual media to reconstruct the cultural and medical context of the period. The museum provides context for the nearby Zugarramurdi Cave, where clandestine gatherings—known as akelarre—allegedly took place. The collection emphasizes the role of the Inquisition in shaping the socio-political reality of Navarre. It serves as an educational center regarding the historical reality of the persecution of women and traditional healers. The museum building itself is part of the village's heritage architecture, restored specifically for this exhibition.
The exterior stone architecture of the historic hospital building.
Combine your visit with a walk to the Zugarramurdi Caves, which are a short distance from the village center.
Check local signage for walking paths that connect the museum to the surrounding valley landscape.
Allow time to read the detailed historical panels as they provide essential context for the cave site.
Do not treat the exhibits as purely mythological; the museum emphasizes that these are documented historical legal proceedings.
Closed on Mondays during the winter season.
