The Palauet Nolla in the town of Meliana near Valencia, Spain, was originally an old farmstead dating back to the 17th century, which underwent in the 19th century a remarkable transformation into a luxurious villa. It was Miguel Nolla, a visionary Catalan businessman, who recognised its potential as a showcase for the exquisite mosaics produced by his groundbreaking mosaic factory.

In 1860, Miguel Nolla established the mosaic factory in Meliana, heralding a new era of ceramic production in the region. Driven by a passion for quality and innovation, Nolla introduced new techniques that revolutionised the ceramic industry. His mosaic tiles, crafted from monochrome tesserae of mass-dyed stoneware, soon gained international acclaim, adorning prestigious residences and public buildings across Spain and beyond, and Nolla’s distinctive tiles becoming emblematic of the region's rich heritage.

The Nolla mosaic factory had little competition, it was the first to manage to produce these tiny stoneware tesserae and achieve exclusivity at the market.

For all these reasons, the history and heritage represented by the Nolla mosaic factory are exceptional. They represent a radical change in ceramic production but had also a profound impact on the industrialisation of the region, the advancement of the social question, and the arts applied to architecture.

Alongside the factory, Miguel Nolla envisioned the Palauet Nolla as a symbol of his success and prosperity. The historical building bore witness to the heyday of the mosaic factory, its walls adorned with ceramic compositions showcasing the high level of Nolla's production. However, with the decline of the mosaic factory and changes in ownership, the Palauet Nolla faced a period of neglect. In 2010, efforts to revive the Palauet Nolla began in earnest, with comprehensive studies undertaken to guide its conservation and restoration. The city council of Meliana with the help of the CIDCeN association and the ARAE Patrimonio architecture team are recovering the legacy, safeguarding this tangible and intangible heritage such as the craft of mosaic maker (mosaiqueros).

During the first half of October, excavation work is being carried out within the European programme “European Heritage Training Course” from European Heritage Volunteers.

The aim of the training course is to explore the situation at the backside of Palauet Nolla where the current level lays almost eighty centimetres above the original level, filled with materials gained during the demolition.

As part of the educational programme, visits, and excursions to noteworthy industrial heritage sites in the region will be arranged.

On Wednesday, October 9, an open day is scheduled where citizens interested in visiting the works, how the archaeological excavation works and the discoveries found during these two weeks of work with a team of volunteers from all over the world are invited.

12 countries united at Palauet Nolla!! 

The training course is taking place from September 29th to October 12th, 2024, and is organised by Centro Investigación y Difusión Cerámica Nolla in cooperation with European Heritage Volunteers and Meliana Municipality.

Address
camino del barranquet, 57. Meliana, 46133 , Spain