Fumera del Gas Reusense

Fumera del Gas Reusense is a 19th-century industrial chimney in Reus, a city in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia's Baix Camp region. This tall brick tower is the only surviving trace of the old "Gas Reusense" gasworks, which supplied the city with gas, and later electricity, for over a century.

What exactly is a "fumera"?

In the local Reus dialect, "fumera" simply means a factory chimney — and this particular one, standing on Marià Fortuny avenue, is now the sole physical reminder of an entire industrial complex. Once the gasworks shut down and its production buildings were demolished, the chimney was left standing as a landmark and a memory of the city's industrial past. It is listed in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia (Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya), confirming its recognized historical value.

What does the chimney look like?

The fumera rests on a square base with a small entrance door and decorative brickwork at the bottom. Above the base rises a long cylindrical shaft that gradually narrows with height — a common design in 19th-century industrial chimneys, meant to improve draught. The structure is reinforced by roughly a dozen metal rings spaced along its length, which kept the brickwork from cracking under thermal stress. The entire chimney is built of exposed, unplastered brick, so visitors can still appreciate the bricklaying craftsmanship of the period.

The story of Gas Reusense

The Gas Reusense company was founded on 29 May 1854 as a private venture, with industrialist Macià Vila as its first president. Its original purpose was to take over the municipal concession for public lighting, replacing oil lamps with gas street lighting. Gas supply later expanded to private households across Reus, used for heating and cooking. Toward the end of the 19th century, the company also began generating electricity at the same site, but growing competition forced it to abandon that business in the early 20th century. Gas Reusense continued operating independently until 1969, when it was absorbed by Catalana de Gas y Electricidad, the company that took over most local gasworks across the region.

Why visit the fumera?

The Gas Reusense chimney is a small but telling piece of Catalan industrial heritage, a reminder of the era when cities like Reus built their own energy infrastructure almost from scratch. For visitors, it's a modest yet distinctive landmark that ties together the city's economic history and its industrial architecture. Standing among modern buildings, the chimney's 19th-century form stands out by contrast, and it's an easy stop to add to a walk around the city.

Frequently asked questions

What is a "fumera"? "Fumera" is the local Reus term for a factory chimney. The Fumera del Gas Reusense is the surviving chimney of the city's former gasworks — the only element left of the whole plant.

When was the chimney built? It was built in the late 19th century, during the growth of the Gas Reusense company, which had been founded in 1854.

What happened to the rest of the factory? The production buildings were demolished, leaving the chimney as the only trace of the former gasworks.

Is the chimney a protected heritage site? Yes, it is listed in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia, confirming its status as a protected monument.