Anglès: Industrial History and Historic Architecture

When planning a trip to Anglès, its history and landscape offer different ways to shape your itinerary. The textile industry, a historic quarter with several layers of architecture, and walking and cycling routes provide concrete starting points. You can focus on industrial heritage, architectural history, or outdoor activities.

Textile History and Steam Engine

The Colònia Tèxtil Burés was founded in 1887 by the company “Burés i Salvadó” and produced cotton fabrics and cotton yarn. The factory complex included three parallel sheds, a perpendicular building for offices and services, and two residential blocks for employees. The layout thus brought together cotton production, operational spaces, and employee housing.

The La Burés exhibition space presents the history of Anglès through three themes: the population, the use of natural resources, and life in the factory. Visitors can also see the steam engine there. It was built in 1900 by Maquinista Terrestre y Marítima de Barcelona and is an object of Catalan industrial archaeology recognised as a Bé Cultural d’Interès Nacional (BCIN). The machine consists of a boiler and a 200-horsepower Corliss engine.

The visitor programme provides for free visits on Saturday and guided visits on Sunday on the second weekend of each month. Before travelling, check whether these visits are currently being offered.

Historic Quarter and Mining

The Barri Antic d’Anglès is a historic quarter designated as a BCIN. Its architectural and historical layers include medieval, Gothic, Noucentista, and Modernista elements. The different periods and styles show that the quarter is not defined by a single historical image. Carrer d’Avall is one of the town’s most distinctive streets and provides a specific point of reference within the quarter.

Les Mines del Sant Pare add a mining dimension to the picture. The surviving remains include the ruins of former warehouses belonging to the mining company, as well as the homes of its miners and managers. The name also has a historical background: the Holy See owned the mine for several years in the past. The ownership history explains the name, while the ruins recall the company’s storage and residential buildings.

Walking and Cycling

Different factors can help you choose a route. The Ruta del Carrilet I is suitable for walking and cycling. The Ruta de Sant Pere Sestronques can be considered in terms of its landscape: it first follows the Via Verde and passes through pastureland and forest paths; on the return, it runs along the Serra d’en Planes towards the town centre of Anglès. This lets you weigh up the mode of travel and a route with a specifically described landscape sequence. Note that the condition of the Ruta del Carrilet I may change after maintenance work or weather events; check it before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Sant Andreu Salou, Das, Juià, Cantallops, La Jonquera, Castell-Platja d’Aro, Tortellá, L’escala

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