The Torre Carreras – Abandoned in Barcelona, Spain

The Carreras Tower in Manresa, built around 1920 in the Noucentista style, is an architectural gem that has sadly fallen into ruin. Initially well-preserved, by early 2015, the building had been abandoned and subjected to extensive vandalism, with graffiti, structural damage, and destruction of its interior furnishings. Despite its inclusion in the Manresa Heritage Plan, the city council claimed it could do nothing due to the unclear ownership and ongoing legal disputes.

In response to the neglect, the Bages Study Center launched the “Save Torre Carreras” campaign in April 2015, urging the city council to take immediate action to protect the tower. While the council eventually took measures to restrict access, the damage had already been done, and the building continued to deteriorate. The lack of timely intervention and ongoing exposure to the elements furthered its decline, particularly endangering the roof’s integrity.

The Carreras Tower’s plight highlights a broader issue of inadequate heritage preservation in Manresa. Other significant sites, such as the Panyos Factory and the Nova Factory, also suffer from neglect, reflecting a broader societal failure to protect and value cultural heritage. This neglect underscores the need for more proactive and effective measures to safeguard such important collective assets.