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Photographs from the 2004 Study Tour - Catalonia, Spain

Copyright © 2004 by each photographer and historical text by James Douet, from the SIA Study Tour Guide, Catalonia Spring 2004

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View from Parador Vic-Sau Hotel in Pyrenees.

View near the Baells hydroelectric dam

The Llogregat River was dammed in 1976 by the Baells dam, 112m high and describing a 302m curve across the valley. A photographic exhibition inside the dam illustrates the work of its construction.

Photographs by Susan Martin

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Besalú bridge: An early-Medieval fortified masonry bridge crossing the river into the town of Besalú.

Photograph by Patrick Martin

Manresa: Industry in Manresa developed after the construction of the Canal d’Urgell industrial canal in 1832 which was used by numerous mills for grinding gunpowder, flour, pumping, etc. Ribbon-making was one of the most important economic activities in the town. It began in the 18th century using silk and continued into the 19th century with cotton. Though not a spectacular industry, it was nevertheless very significant in the context of Manresa and helped develop capital for the later growth of cotton production. The other main strand to the town’s industrial heritage is agriculture.

SIA members heat through the gate of the slaughterhouse in Manresa - building undergoing conversion into a library

SIA members at the Fàbrica Nova Textile Mill, Manresa - Photographs above by Marc Greuther

Fàbrica Nova: The first textile mill on this site, the Fàbrica del Remei, was erected by the family of Bertrand i Serra in 1894, and was water-powered. With the success of the company a new mill was projected in 1925, alongside the earlier works, which was fitted with 1,400 looms and 80,000 spindles. It was opened in 1926 by Alfonso XVIII, a king who took a strong interest in industrial development if inaugurating factories can be taken as a guide. The company closed the works in 1989, and the city council has approved a plan to develop the site but conserve only the main mill buildings. The conservation of industrial heritage in Manresa has still some distance to go.

St Joan Despí cardboard factory: The industrialization of this area outside Barcelona began in the C18 when the Canal de la Infanta was excavated. In the early C19 a water mill was built beside it for making campetx dye for printing calicoes, and this old mill was adapted in 1910 as to produce cardboard. The factory continuing in operation until recently and it still contains much of the machinery dating from 1913-16, as well as remains of the earlier mill. These include the wheel pit, now occupied by a Fontaine turbine, press, chimney and store from the old mill, adapted to produce the pulp that was used in the cardboard factory built alongside, and which contains the continuous cardboard machines for laying the pulp and cutting, pressing and finishing the sheets of card. Alongside is a large store with a series of eleven open drying sheds designed by Gaudí collaborator Jujol in which the damp card was hung, and the masia or owner’s house.

Edge Mill

Paper Machine

Paper Machine overhead pulleys

Photographs by James Bouchard.