History on wheels

In Parc de la Vall d’Hebron in the north of Barcelona, there is a very surprising museum that helps us get to know more about the history of transport in Barcelona. It is the Museu de Carruatges, a horse-drawn carriage museum with a collection of goods wagons and passenger coaches. The carts and wagons include some that transported stone from the quarries to the worksites and others used for cleaning the city’s streets. Among the coaches is an elegant Berlin model.

A journey back to the past

This private collection consists of 46 shining exhibits collected over the years by the Piera family, traditionally involved in the road haulage business. It also includes horse-riding items from the 19th and 20th centuries, coachmen’s clothing, reigns, bridles and other accessories. In all, more than 600 pieces from various periods that tell the story of a means of transport and, by extension, a way of life for Barcelona folk back then.

Today the collection is managed by Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, SA, a company that was involved in street cleaning and refuse collection at the start of the 20th century.