Azucarera de Portas

Former Use:	Sugar factory
New Use:	kindergarten, senior citizens' centre, café, municipal auditorium and viewing platform
Category:	Culture, Education, HoReCa, Recreation, Sports
Website:	https://turismoriasbaixas.com/recursopan1?content=280377001
Reuse Architect:	Alfredo Rojas
Construction year(s):	1899 - 1900
Reuse year(s):	2004 -

Description:

The "Azucarera Gallega" was built in 1899, its first production was in 1901 and the last in 1903, when it closed, due to the inability of the Spanish market to absorb all the sugar production and other circumstances of the time.

"The chimney has a height of 65 metres, and an inner diameter of three metres; the seepage tower is 27 metres high. The foundation is on average four metres deep, and six and a half metres in many parts; more than 500 barrels of cement have been invested in the foundations. The perimeter of the factory is a rectangle 95 metres long by 20 metres wide, the walls have an average height of 15 metres, not counting the pump houses; the machines will lift 6,000 litres of water per minute. Each of the boilers weighs 15 tons. The lime kilns, management offices and laboratories are very spacious," described the press.

Nowadays, the Azucarera houses the day centre, the "Galescola", the Exhibition Hall and the Municipal Auditorium. In the chimney we can now enjoy a wonderful viewing platform from where we can see several nearby municipalities such as Villagarcia, Caldas de Reis, Barro and Meis, where the Portuguese Way passes through to Santiago de Compostela.

Relevant Literature:

1. https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/articulo/caldas-deza/amarga-breve-experiencia-fabrica-azucar-portas/201910021811221054617.html
2. https://www.guiategalicia.com/la-fabrica-azucarera-portas/
3. https://www.paxinasgalegas.es/fiestas/azucarera-de-portas-5676.html
4. https://www.milpies.es/zapatos/blog/lugares/azucarera-de-Portas/
5. https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/2004/07/29/vena-hai-acabar/0003_2895764.htm

---