Under the direction of various architects and military engineers, the Ferrol Arsenal was constructed in the 18th century, becoming one of the most challenging enterprises of Enlightenment Spain and linking the city since then with the fluctuations of naval construction and the complex decisions of the State. Due to its military and industrial functions, the Arsenal is divided into two: the Arsenal del Parque, the western part, and the Arsenal de los Diques, both with monumental gates. Inside the enclosure, the following stand out: the Sala de Armas, bordered to the north by the Instruction Barracks; the Dique de la Campana (19th century), which was one of the largest docks in the world at its time; the Herrerías Building, which houses the Naval Construction Museum; the Naval Museum and the Library of the Cantabrian Maritime Zone, installed in the former San Carpio prison.

The Arsenal is declared a Cultural Interest Site.