The Tanneries

The tanneries were artisanal facilities where animal hides were processed to turn them into leather, a strong and flexible material used to manufacture shoe soles, gloves, bags, belts and other products.

In the 13th century, around what is now Rambla de Ferran, the different tanning guilds gradually took shape – tanners, white tanners and leather dressers – which, together with artisans dedicated to leather goods, became one of the main economic driving forces of the city during this period.

Between the Baixada de la Trinitat and the current MORERA Museum, the white tanners’ guild was established, with ten private tanneries and two communal ones linked to the Guild House. Further southeast, between the Baixada de la Diputació and Carrer Democràcia, was located the leather dressers’ guild.

The workshop was the space where hides were processed: a long room with two rows of pits arranged on either side of a channel running through it. In these vats, the hides were submerged during the different stages of the process: liming, tanning and dyeing. These tasks required constant access to clean water, both to wash the hides and to remove waste. For this reason, the tanneries of Lleida were strategically built near the Noguerola and Segre rivers.

The group of tanneries in Lleida, dating back to the 13th century, is considered one of the oldest and best-preserved in Spain.

Today, three archaeological sites with remains of these tanneries can be visited, located at numbers 9, 13 and 19 on Rambla de Ferran. Lleida Turisme also organises the guided tour “The Tanneries of Lleida”, a journey through the medieval history of the city and this ancient craft.