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Musèu dera Val d'Aran

Fabrica dera Lan

The Nere River powered the Fabrica dera Lan factory as well as the saw works and several flour mills.

The Nere River powered the Fabrica dera Lan factory as well as the saw works and several flour mills.

The Vielha Wool Factory is representative of the small textile industries that emerged from the second half of the 19th century on both sides of the central Pyrenees.

The factory was built in the late 19th century by Josep Portolés Viló, a resident of Vielha who had learned the wool trade in Miramont-de-Comminges (France), the city where his wife’s family were from.

The factory was powered by the Nere River. An outer channel brought the water to a wooden water wheel attached to a long wooden shaft. The wheel, in turn, was attached to the gears of the machinery and transmitted the force of water.

After three generations dedicated to the wool trade, the Portolés family closed the wool factory in the 1970s as a result of decreased production.

SPACES

<p>The small workshop on this floor allowed the factory machinery to be repaired.</p>
Carding the wool
Carding the wool
<p>Taking advantage of the height of the roof, on the stands, we find a small <em>humaralet </em>that was used for storage.</p>
Spinning the wool
Spinning the wool

OBJECTS

<p>The <em>diable</em> was driven by a belt connecting it to the busbar. Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Diable
Diable
<p>The cylinders have fine iron teeth that comb the wool. Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Opening carder
Opening carder
<p>The flywheel was the clutch that allowed the machine to be turned off when the busbar was working. Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Strand carder
Strand carder
<p>The mule-jenny is the precursor of machines like the <em>berguedana</em> or the <em>selfactina.</em> Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Mule-jenny
Mule-jenny
<p>In this machine we can see the handcrafted nature of the early wool industries. Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Twister
Twister
<p>A small device on one side of the central cylinder allowed the yarn to be removed easily. Fabrica dera lan (Vielha). Mus&egrave;u dera Val d&#39;Aran.</p>
Skein-making machine
Skein-making machine

MAP

INFORMATION

ADDRESS
FEES
TELEPHONE
WEBSITE
http://www.cultura.conselharan.org/content/category/15/54/144/lang,catalan/
OPENING TIMES
EMAIL
info.museu@aran.org
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