SALAMANCA MUSEUM OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

The creation of the Salamanca Museum of Commerce and Industry was promoted by the Salamanca City Council and the Official Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The purpose was to preserve the memory of the economic, industrial, and commercial activities that developed in the city and province throughout their history.

Until the end of the 19th century, the city lacked a supply system that allowed water to be available in homes. In 1872, the City Council approved a project to raise water from the river to underground tanks located in El Rollo. Architect José Secall was responsible for the design and construction of the engine room in La Aldehuela, from where water was pumped to two tanks with a total capacity of 1,800 cubic meters. This system was operational for just over two decades. The tanks, built with solid brick pillars and vaults, are today the space that houses the Museum of Commerce and Industry.

Later, it was decided to build an elevated tank that would provide greater pressure and allow water to reach all Salamanca homes by gravity. The project, designed by architect Santiago Madrigal, consisted of a reinforced concrete structure with a capacity for 4,000 cubic meters of water. 300 tons of cement and 800 tons of iron were used for its construction. The imposing structure was supported by about twenty solid columns that held a large tank almost 30 meters in diameter.

The elevated tank of El Rollo was demolished in 2002, after being in operation for 88 years. Shortly after, the old cisterns were recovered and refurbished to house the current Museum of Commerce and Industry.

Two exhibitions can be visited at the Museum of Commerce and Industry of Salamanca: one refers to the history of commerce in the city and the other shows the evolution of radio sets thanks to the donation of the collection by technician Agustín de Castro.

THE HISTORY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN SALAMANCA

1.- Street vending With the exception of a few activities that had their own buildings —such as the sale of meat, bread, cloth, or coal—, most commercial transactions took place in open spaces, leaving their mark on urban toponymy. Street vendors also carried out their commercial activity in the street, announcing their presence by loudly proclaiming the goods they sold. From the 18th and 19th centuries, businesses set up in enclosed premises began to proliferate, and somewhat later, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the first food markets emerged.

2.- Photography in Salamanca This section presents a journey through the history of photography in Salamanca and the photographers who portrayed the city and its inhabitants from the mid-19th century. Among them, romantic travelers and itinerant photographers stand out, as well as the first photographic studio established by O. Wehrlin in the Plaza Mayor in 1851. Valuable works by authors such as Clifford, Laurent, or Herbert are preserved from the late 19th century, whose works offer a unique insight into the life and urban landscape of the era. Later, the first stable photographic studios would emerge, among which those of Gombau, Ansede, or Núñez Larraz stand out, which consolidated photography as a professional activity and left a fundamental legacy for Salamanca's visual memory.

3.- From apothecaries to parapharmacies This room offers a journey through the evolution of pharmacies or apothecaries, from their initial link with monastic centers to the configuration of contemporary pharmacies and parapharmacies. Through the exhibited objects, it is revealed how old apothecaries —especially those located in rural areas— played an essential role in daily life, acting not only as dispensaries of medicines but also as versatile establishments where it was possible to acquire a wide variety of products, including optical instruments and other common use items.

4.- Essential goods trade

5.- Salamanca printers and booksellers Thanks to the impetus of the University, Salamanca became, from the late 15th century and throughout the 16th century, one of the main printing centers of the Crown of Castile. The intense intellectual activity generated around the university classrooms favored the development of a prosperous book sector, in which more than 3,000 people came to work, including printers, publishers, booksellers, binders, and other specialized trades. In this context, one of the most emblematic works of Spanish cultural history came to light: Elio Antonio de Nebrija's Gramática de la Lengua Castellana (Grammar of the Castilian Language), printed in Salamanca and considered the first grammar of a Romance language.

After several centuries of continuity, the 20th century marked a new period of splendor for the city. Around the Anaya publishing house and university editions, there was a notable boom in the publishing industry and graphic arts, which once again consolidated Salamanca as a benchmark in the production of books and printed materials. This legacy, the result of a tradition dating back to the Modern Age, today constitutes an essential element of the city's cultural and economic identity.

6.- Street Commerce: Urban Trades and Services Shop windows have always allowed the display of products to the public, becoming a fundamental element to attract buyers. Similarly, many artisans used to work in plain sight, showcasing their skill in open workshops or in the street. Street vendors, barbers, or shoe shiners offered their services in squares and markets, directly attending to passersby and forming part of the daily hustle and bustle of the city. Added to these trades were other urban services closely linked to street life, such as inns, taverns, and lodging houses, which provided food, drink, and accommodation to travelers and local inhabitants.

7.- The agri-food industry Salamanca, traditionally linked to agriculture and livestock, has developed an important agri-food industry. Flour mills and meat processing plants, feed production, the wine sector, bakeries, and dairy industries stand out. Hoy, the quality of these products is recognized through prestigious designations of origin, such as Jamón de Guijuelo (Guijuelo Ham), Carne de Morucha (Morucha Beef), or Lenteja de La Armuña (La Armuña Lentil), reflecting a long tradition and know-how that defines the province's food identity.

8.- Industry in Salamanca From the Modern Age, artisan trades gradually gave way to pre-industrial processes, among which cloth manufacturing, flour mills, pork processing plants, and tanneries stood out. Already in the 20th century, new activities linked to the economic development of the province gained relevance, such as the production of fertilizers —driven by the Mirat company—, the manufacture of agricultural machinery, and the exploitation of mining resources, especially after the outbreak of World War II. A fundamental role was also played by the harnessing of hydroelectric resources, with the construction of large reservoirs and power plants on the Tormes and Duero rivers, which transformed the landscape and contributed to the industrial progress of the region.

9.- Transport and communications Although in antiquity Salamanca was a prominent enclave in the north-south communications of the peninsula through the Vía de la Plata, over the centuries the city was progressively marginalized from the main communication routes. The railway did not arrive until the late 19th century, and the national road network was not completed until well into the 20th century. Another major deficiency was the scarcity of bridges, as, until 1913, the city relied solely on the Roman Bridge to cross the Tormes River. Currently, several highways connect Salamanca via the Ruta de la Plata, Madrid, and Portugal, significantly improving accessibility to the city and part of the province. However, the city has once again been relegated in the development of high-speed lines, which demonstrates the persistence of certain imbalances in transport infrastructures.

10.- The textile and cloth industry Béjar consolidated itself as the main textile center of the province, especially recognized for the manufacture of fine cloths that achieved a quality capable of competing with the best European fabrics. This industrial development boosted the appearance of a local bourgeoisie with notable economic and social weight, which transformed urban life and favored new forms of work organization. Throughout the 20th century, however, various factors —such as the instability of the domestic market, increasing foreign competition, and the marginal and isolated geographical position from other industrial centers— caused a progressive decline in the sector. This process deeply marked Béjar's economy and industrial identity.

11.- Goldsmithing, silversmithing, and jewelry Silversmithing and goldsmithing have played an important role in Salamanca's sumptuary arts since the 16th century. Goldsmiths grouped together in the Confraternity of San Eloy, which applied strict control over the products sold to prevent fraud and maintain the quality and prestige of Salamanca workshops.

12.- Crafts The province of Salamanca has maintained a notable craft tradition over time, especially visible in trades such as leather work and footwear manufacturing, goldsmithing, pottery, and the use of vegetable fibers for furniture making.

13.- Banking This section presents a journey through the historical background of banking. From the first organizations aimed at offering credit and assistance to farmers, visitors can follow the evolution of these initiatives up to the creation of the Caja de Ahorros de Salamanca (Salamanca Savings Bank). The tour also includes references to some private banks that played a prominent role in local economic life, such as Banca Cobaleda, a representative example of the family entities that drove the financial development of the region before the consolidation of large savings institutions.

14.- The Chamber of Commerce: from guilds to employers' associations This section explains the evolution of artisan and merchant associations from medieval guilds to the founding of the Official Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Salamanca in 1886.

HISTORY OF RADIO: SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY A collection of over 400 radio receivers, most of which are on permanent display, showing their evolution from their origins to the present day. This makes it one of the most prominent museums in Spain on the history of radio. It features a documentation center on the history of radio and stations for individualized listening to historical recordings.