Fàbrica Nova in Sóller: Initial Stabilization Work Started – A Glimmer of Hope for Textile Heritage

Fàbrica Nova in Sóller: Initial Stabilization Work Started – A Glimmer of Hope for Textile Heritage

Late in the morning, when the sun gently warms the facades in Sóller and the first espresso cups clink in the cafés at the Plaça, life has returned to Carrer de la Fàbrica. Not a celebration, but the determined busyness of construction crews and technicians: they clear rubble, erect support scaffolding and put provisional coverings over open roofs. The work serves a clear purpose — the building, long left to decay, is being protected from collapse.

The old textile factory, which has been protected since 2018, had been badly damaged in recent years. Experts recently identified acute risks to ceilings and load-bearing structures; for that reason the island council has now begun immediate stabilization measures (see Sóller: Fàbrica Nova to be comprehensively restored – Island Council takes over and invests millions). Anyone passing the entrance in the morning sees cordoned-off tape, machines and workers in hard hats. The sound of shovels mixes with the distant rustle of the Serra de Tramuntana — an unusual but reassuring soundtrack for residents who perceive the monumental brick building as part of their townscape.

The property became publicly owned in December 2025 (reported in Sóller secures historic textile factory – space for a new textile museum). The long-term plan is clear: the restoration is intended to make room for a museum dedicated to Mallorca's textile industry. As part of the restoration and museum development, funds of €9.2 million are planned. This sum covers not only construction work but also museum preparation, conservation measures and initial exhibition planning.

For Sóller, saving the Fàbrica Nova means more than a construction project. In the alleys of the old town, where gutters clatter and market vendors open their stalls, people speak about how important such places are for collective memory. Older worker families who still recall looms and spools of thread hope that display panels and machines will show not only tourists but also the younger generation what industrial life here used to look like.

In the short term the stabilization work is technical: props stabilize ceilings, damp walls are dried out, and loose masonry is removed. The aim is to buy time so that a comprehensive restoration can be properly prepared. At the same time, the measures create space for planners, heritage conservators and restorers to structure the next project phases.

The project also brings practical benefits: craftsmen, construction and restoration firms from the region receive contracts and temporary jobs are created — especially in a season that is otherwise quiet. Visitors who happen to pass by stop, photograph the scaffolding and exchange memories with older residents. Such scenes are everyday, but important; they show that heritage preservation in Mallorca is not abstract but happens in the middle of life.

Looking ahead: the stabilization is the first act of a longer story. Plans for the complete renovation and the design of the museum space now begin. If everything goes according to plan, Fàbrica Nova can become more than a monument — a place of learning, a meeting point for courses, lectures and exhibitions on textile techniques, local labor history and sustainable production methods.

In Sóller the mood is positive: the street noise is once again accompanied by drills, but also by conversations about future plans. For the people here the sound is not disturbing but consoling. It means that a piece of Mallorca is reclaiming its place in the present. That is news people like to share on the Plaça de la Constitució between a bite of ensaimada and a cup of café con leche.

Why this matters

Saving historic industrial buildings connects memory with utility. A restored textile museum can strengthen local identity, provide educational offerings and boost cultural tourism — without turning the street into a mere attraction. If technology, planning and the community remain coordinated, Sóller has the chance to rewrite a living chapter of its history.

For the moment, what counts is that the old structure is no longer left to decay alone. The stabilization work is the first visible sign: Fàbrica Nova is being given time and attention — and with it a real chance to once again become part of everyday life in Mallorca.