Old Town of Mequinenza

Until 1971 the town of Mequinenza was ariver port at the confluence of the Ebro, Segre and Cinca rivers. Thanks to the Ebro river, Mequinenza established a full-fledged river trade, which gave prestige not only to Mequinenza carpenters but also to the "struts". In the period of splendor, a fleet of 16 llaüts (boats carrying between 18 and 30 tons) was reached. During the last century, its main economy was based on coal mining.

With the arrival of ENHER company the life changed for the majority of people, going from having 4033 registered inhabitants to having 5800 registered and about 1500 more uncounted. Many of them were workers from other localities that came to work on the construction of the Mequinenza dam. The coal mines began to close due to the increase of the water level in the Ribarroja dam. Thus began an exodus for the inhabitants of Mequinenza in which some went abroad to work in the mining, others to different points of the Spanish geography and a huge number stayed there and build a new village: the new Mequinenza.

The progress in the shape of a hydro-electric plant forced to leave the town under the water of the Ebro river. One by one, the houses were pulled down in clouds of dust and the families moved to a newly built town. Rediscover the shapes of the old Mequinenza with this easy trail route.