Leading project partner: Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia, Terrassa; Mr. Eusebi Casanelles, Director.

Situated in the north-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsular, and on the far western side of the Mediterranean, Catalonia has always been a country with almost no raw materials, while on the other hand being one of the first European regions to industrialise. The entrepreneurial spirit, the development, acquisition and implantation of new technical advances, as well as the rapid application of innovative concepts which speeded up the Industrial Revolution, formed a land very different to that of the rest of Spain, as much in technical and industrial aspects as in social and economic ones.
The industrialisation of Catalonia did not happen overnight. There was a long and important manufacturing tradition in which the textile sector predominated. Well into the 19th century, wool was the traditional fibre in Catalonia, apart from specialised silk weaving in some towns. The Catalan manufacturers provided one of the two basic necessities of the home (the other being food) that was simple, practical and of a high quality.
The industrialisation process in Catalonia, including the change from wool manufacturing to cotton, followed a path almost parallel to that in England. During the second half of the 18th century, Barcelona became the biggest producer of printed cotton textiles in the whole of Europe, only to fade progressively until the 1820s, when various protectionist laws (similar to the Corn Laws in England) were passed and sparked off a rapid development of the Catalan cotton industry.
Although the cotton manufacturers, heirs of the old weavers, spinners or printers of the 18th century, by 1820 already held most of the important positions in the manufacturers' association, the Commissió de fàbriques, the rest of the textile sector and auxiliary industries did not disappear. On the contrary, to this day Catalonia has maintained its dynamism and ability to innovate, diversifying into a wide range of textiles that makes up 80% of the total Spanish production using and involves practically all the known fibres. Specialised technical training centres of the highest standard and trade routes for the most up-to-date fashions were set up throughout the country.
In Terrassa, the perfect example of a wool town, which based its growth on the daring of its local industrialists in the 19th century, there are two modern cultural institutions which specialise in the textile industry and are of recognised international standing. One is the Documentation Centre and Textile Museum of Terrassa, heir to the old Textile Museum of the town, which was established in 1934. And the other is the Science and Technology Museum of Catalonia, based since 1984 in the old Art Nouveau textile mill "Aymerich, Amat i Jover", where a large part of the power system of the mill is conserved and can be seen, and where an exemplary and well-planned permanent exhibition demonstrates the whole process of producing and finishing wool. The experience and vitality of both institutions will became a part of these European textile routes.

Textile Contact Points (TCP's)
Industrial heritage:
Museu de la Ciència i de la Tècnica de Catalunya
Rambla d'Egara 270
E-08221 Terrassa
http://www.museu.mnactec.com

Textile heritage:
Centre des Documentació i Museu Tèxtil
Salmerón 25
E-08222 Terrassa
http://www.cdmt.es

Museo del Tessuto in Prato/Italy