L’Enginy

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Come and discover one of Oliva’s most historic buildings, and explore its past as a sugar-producing site.

The L'Enginy building is a key architectural reminder of Oliva’s industrial past in the province of Valencia, closely linked to the thriving sugar production of the 16th century. Make sure you include it in your route around the town!

What is the L'Enginy building in Oliva?

L'Enginy in Oliva once formed part of a complex where sugar cane was processed using machinery that was highly innovative for its time, known as an ingenio or enginy in Valencian because of its advanced milling system.

The mechanism made use of the power of the water stored in the pond that gave its name to what is now Plaza La Bassa. Today, the restored L'Enginy building offers a clear picture of the economic and technological importance of this crop in Valencian lands during the Renaissance, while also shedding light on some fascinating aspects of historical hydraulic engineering. Come and see it for yourself.