Built in the 15th century, the Llotja del Tint is one of the few Gothic industrial buildings that remain in Catalonia. It was used for wool dyeing and it is the only dyeing building left in Catalonia.

It has two sections separated by four large pointed arches that support a wooden ceiling, originally with a two-sided ridge roof. The mezzanine –the second floor today– uses groin vaults and is accessed by a slab-vaulted stairway.

The building also stands out for its height. This was an attempt to dissipate the noxious fumes given off when dyeing wool or other fabrics. It is believed that after dyeing the cloths, they were hung underneath the roof to drip-dry; the water used in this pre-industrial process was supplied by the Rec Major, which ran through the building. 

The Rec Major was diverted into the building and the water circulated through vats or tubs excavated in the rock in which the cloths were placed for dyeing. The canal did a complete circuit around the building’s interior and then exited to rejoin its original route.

After many years in disuse, the Town Council of Banyoles took ownership of the building in 1971 to prevent its destruction.

Location: Carrer Sant Pere, 8