The first salt warehouses were promoted by Philip II in 1564, when he started to head the salt monopoly. They were also used as the headquarters of the maritime customs, the fishermen’s association and the old salt tax office. L’Alfolí de l’Escala has the date 1697 inscribed on the lintel of the portal and was one of the first important buildings in L’Escala, a building directly linked to its character as a fishing village. The salt arrived by sea in large coastal fishing boats to L’Escala, and from the Alfolí salt warehouse it was then distributed to the inland villages. In 1984 it was declared a cultural asset of national interest and it began to host the permanent exhibition “L’Escala and the Sea of Empúries” and the Víctor Català Space, the dissemination centre for the writer’s work.
The Alfolí is one of the most emblematic buildings in L’Escala. It was set up in the second half of the 17th century as the epicentre of the salt trade. At the end of the 19th century, the building passed into private hands and housed various associations, such as the local fishermen’s society. The photograph shows one of the activities that took place there: salting the fish. They are more than likely one or two families, with a large part of the members of the families, dedicated to salting, showing the jars with the anchovies inside. As can be seen in this photograph taken by Josep Esquirol at the beginning of the 20th century, it was a task carried out mainly by women. The photograph forms part of the L’Escala Historical Archive Collection.
Location
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Carrer Alfoli 6, 17130 La Escala, Provincia de Gerona, España
Category
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