Ontinyent's industrial tradition goes back to the Middle Ages: wool, textiles and later paper shaped the town's economy, vocabulary, sounds and skyline. The Ruta de les Xumeneres (Chimneys Route) offers a vertical view of the town: a walk through the Ontinyent of our great-grandparents.
Brick giants
The first factories with chimneys date from around 1900, and there were once more than twenty, often by the river or an irrigation channel. Many have gone, but twelve survive: three from ceramics works, one from a distillery, two from paper mills and six from textile factories. Most were built by local master builders such as Arturo Reig Úbeda and the Colla dels Gallo.
They all have three parts: a square base, a shaft usually with eight sides, and the lantern at the top, decorated with brick rings.
Some stops
- The Cambra i Mollà distillery chimney, from the late 19th century, one of the oldest.
- The Rajolar de la Concepció chimney (1947), one of the tallest and most slender.
- The Rajolar de Sant Rafel chimney (1955).
- Those of textile factories such as Paduana and Tortosa i Delgado.
How to do it
The walk starts outside the MAOVA museum on Carrer Regall and crosses the Santa Maria bridge heading north. The old town's bell tower, visible from almost the whole route, is your guide.