Catalonia was one of the first regions in Spain and in western Europe to promote industrialization: the steam engine, introduced in 1830 and the first railway line in Spain set between Mataró and Barcelona in 1848 are good illustrative examples. Textile industry had a great boom in the XIX century due to the introduction of such technical developments and was favoured by the prosperous economy fomented by the Cuban trade. This picture of a Catalan loom was taken at the Museum of History of Catalonia, located at one side of the harbor inside a restored building full of restaurants and terraces which make the visit much more complete for the tourist. I recommend you visit the restaurant on top where you can enjoy a full view of Barcelona's marina.
