The Council of Europe states that “the history of the industrialisation of Europe is an essential part of our European heritage, shaping our continent’s history, landscape and the lives of Europeans for the last 200 years since the Industrial Revolution”. Today, thousands of industrial sites, monuments and museums across Europe bring this period of shared European history to life.  

In fact, with 300 locations in most European countries, the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) invites visitors to explore the milestones of European industrial history. As places of a common European memory, they bear witness to scientific discoveries, technological innovation and workers’ life histories.

A total of 14 theme routes, ranging from application of power, housing and architecture, industry and war, iron and steel, industrial landscapes, mining, paper, production and manufacturing, service and leisure industry, textiles, transport and communication and water, highlight the European context of industrialisation. 

The concept of establishing a ERIH in 1999 was sealed with the Duisburg Declaration of December 1, 2001. It recognised that “the common history of European industry has played and will continue to play an important part in the culture and identity of our European nations and it offers possibilities to create both shared and individual identities. The accessibility of our cultural heritage is a key element in experiencing this identity and it helps us to understand better our common roots”.

There are currently 1,850 ERIH sites across the EU28 countries and ERIH has been a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2019.

Although industrial heritage refers mainly to the physical remains of  industry and its technology, it is argued that this scope can be widened to also cover places used for social activities related to industry such as housing, museums, education or religious worship.

Such structures highlight the interdisciplinary character of industrial heritage. It is also argued that it includes aspects of social and institutional organisations and mentifacts that constitute the attitudinal characteristics and value systems of industrial heritage sites.

The ERIH serves as a tourism industry information initiative to present a network of industrial heritage sites across Europe. The aim of the project is to create interest for the common European heritage of industrialisation and its legacy. The ERIH also aims to promote regions, towns and sites showing the industrial history and market them as visitor attractions in the leisure and tourism industry.

Although industrial heritage tourism is not a new phenomenon, it has recently acquired increasing importance as part of the cultural offering presented by a growing number of destinations. In fact, the ERIH can be considered as the principal tourist route of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe and an excellent opportunity to preserve and present old production facilities, equipment and the skills of using them. 

The association aims to support research in industrial heritage and Malta’s industrial history- Vincent Cassar

In Malta, we still have quite a handful of industrial heritage sites, machinery, structures and other artefacts. I say ‘still have’ as, over the years, we have lost quite a lot of this heritage. However, we are still in a position to save what is left. The recent rehabilitation and conservation of the concrete water tower at the civil abattoir is a fine example of what can be done when institutions like the University of Malta, the Planning Authority and the public abattoir collaborate together for a worthy cause.

The boiler as acquired from a scrapyard.

Conscious of the importance of the preservation of our industrial heritage, a number of individuals interested in the subject have come together and formed the Malta Industrial Heritage Association (MIHA).

The main aim of this association is to raise awareness among the public about the importance of industrial heritage and to promote public access to such industrial heritage. This can be done through preserving, conserving and restoring buildings, machinery and other objects of industrial heritage importance, in-situ wherever possible.

The association also aims to support research in industrial heritage and the industrial history of Malta.

Among its first initiatives, the association managed to acquire a mobile boiler that was earmarked to be sold for scrap. Through the kind support of Polidano Group and Palumbo Shipyard, the boiler was transported from the scrapyard to the shipyard where it was aqua-shot and given a coat of anti-corrosive paint.

Moreover, thanks to Alfred Vella, rector of the University of Malta, the boiler will be on show at a prominent place at the university. The association now hopes to secure enough funding for its restoration.

The association, now in the process of being registered as a voluntary organisation, hopes to acquire adequate premises to establish a hub to serve not only as a museum but to also promote an industrial heritage trail of other sites throughout Malta and Gozo.

Vincent Cassar is president of the Malta Industrial Heritage Association.