Panyos Factory

The Can Miralda factory in Manresa, popularly known as the Fàbrica dels Panyos, is of great historical importance due to its antiquity. Construction began shortly before 1820, and it is the oldest factory in Catalonia and Spain that has been preserved with its original characteristics. It is a river-powered factory, meaning that at the time of its construction it operated using the energy generated by a waterwheel powered, in this case, by the waters of the Cardener River.

The company of Pau Miralda had become wealthy through silk production during the 18th century, and the factory represents the transition to modern industry and the arrival of the Industrial Revolution in Manresa. By 1822, it was already producing high-quality wool yarns and fabrics — known as panyos — and by 1832 it employed 500 workers. The panyos were successful, but they could not compete with production from Sabadell and Terrassa, which led the company to shift to cotton in 1845. In the early 1870s, a turbine was installed, and in 1892, a steam engine. The factory ceased operations in 1976.

The factory occupies a building constructed following the model of a large house, with a double-pitched roof and limited width, as iron was not yet used for columns and beams. The building has five floors, and the spaces are divided by brick columns. The ground floor (river side, basement from Francesc Moragues Street) is reinforced with a system of double arches supported by wide columns. Externally, the factory displays a succession of rectangular windows (originally 386), arranged symmetrically, providing abundant natural light inside.