ANALYSING GALICIAN MARITIME INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Abstract

The industrial development of Galicia has been associated with the harnessing of sea resources since the last third of the 19th century. A sea-industry chain model established in the coastline that has led to its transformation and appropriation resulting in a unique cultural and architectural heritage. The maritime industrial heritage of Galicia encompasses the constructions that were built for marine-related industries. These buildings reflect specific particularities of the territory where they are located and the trades they housed. Seven cases were studied and comparatively analysed. They are located in different areas of the Galician coast and represent seven types of traditional maritime industries: a shellfish farm, a whale station, a salting factory, a tide mill, a timber mill, a shipyard, and a canning factory. The analysis looked at their association with the coastline along with their typological characteristics and current state of use and conservation. The aim is to provide an overview to comprehensively and critically reflect on the symbolic and architectural patrimonial value of the vestiges of an abandoned architecture and its presence in the territory. The association of these architectures with the memory of tradition and maritime culture means that their conservation becomes a social and identity issue as they are valuable resources that should be preserved and exploited so that their benefits return to coastal communities.