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S.A. Mirat, also known as Grupo Mirat (Mirat Group), or just as Mirat, is a Spanish company founded in 1812 in
Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
, dedicated mainly to production of
manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the fertility of soil by adding organic matter and nut ...
s and
fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...
s. Nowadays it is one of the 100 biggest companies in
Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spain by area, covering 94,222 km2. It is, however, sparsely populated, with a pop ...
and the biggest one in the
agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
sector in the
province of Salamanca Salamanca () is a province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León (Castilla y León). It is bordered by the provinces of Ávila, Cáceres, Valladolid, and Zamora, and on the west by Portugal. It ...
. Its commercial activity is focused on
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. Its trademark Vitaterra is the largest Spanish manufacturer of garden manures and fertilizers. The factories and structures of Mirat is the only well conserved prototype of the industry of Salamanca from the 19th century. The interior of the factory contains the remains of the Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Victoria (Our Lady of the Victory) of the 15th century, which belonged to the Order of
Hieronymites The Hieronymites or Jeronimites, also formally known as the Order of Saint Jerome (; abbreviated OSH), is a Catholic enclosed religious orders, cloistered religious order and a common name for several congregations of hermit monks living accordi ...
.


History

The origins of the company began in 1812, the year in which Gregorio Mirat installed a
starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diet ...
factory in Salamanca (Spain). Afterwards, different lines of the business were developed. In 1841, his son Juan Casimiro was born, he would be very important in the development of Mirat. In 1853, Gregorio introduced his son into the business, and later the factory was called "Mirat e Hijo" (Mirat and Son). Juan Casimiro applied knowledge acquired on his trip to France and in 1876, the company started to export abroad. The same year, in 1876, the factory was moved near to the river Tormes to the Convent of Saint Jerome. In 1881, rice starch, which was important for ironing clothes started to be produced. During this time it turned into one of the first factories of Salamanca that began to use steam as a motive power. Also at their disposal was one storehouse near to the old main square that in 1902, Casimiro decided to use for reconstruction and build some small hotels. That is why even now that place is known as "Avenida de Mirat" (Avenue of Mirat). In 1933, the company began to work as a cooperative association and in 1963, they begin to produce compound
manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the fertility of soil by adding organic matter and nut ...
s. The building of the factory of Mirat is the only well-conserved industrial architecture of the 19th century in Salamanca.


Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Victoria

Inside the workshops of the factory there is the Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Victoria (Our Lady of the Victory) which belonged to the
Order of Saint Jerome The Hieronymites or Jeronimites, also formally known as the Order of Saint Jerome (; abbreviated OSH), is a Catholic cloistered religious order and a common name for several congregations of hermit monks living according to the Rule of Saint Au ...
, which was founded in 1490 and after three centuries of prosperity was destroyed by French troops during the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
. After unsuccessful industrial experiences that demolished the main part of the building the area finally fell into Mirat family hands. They then organized the production of
manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the fertility of soil by adding organic matter and nut ...
s using a religious part of the building that was, still is, in good condition. The factory still has remains of the walls, cellars and some parts of the old convent. Between the remains stands a huge
vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosur ...
ed arch of 3 meters by
Juan de Álava Juan de Álava (1480-1537) was a Spanish architect best known for his stonework produced in the Plateresque style. Life Juan de Álva was born in 1480 in Larrinoa, a locality of Zigoitia, Álava to a family of stonemasons. In 1502, de Álva tr ...
(designer of the Casa de las Muertes (House of Death), of the College Fonseca and of the "Seven Emblems of the
University of Salamanca The University of Salamanca () is a public university, public research university in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León, King Alfonso IX, it is the oldest university in the Hispanic world and the fourth oldest in the ...
") and some others stone emblems. The flues, the workshops of the 16th century, high
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...
s of bricks and arches complete the testimony of the industrialization period.


Divisions of the Group

*Fertilizers *Seed *Division of gardening: Vitaterra, Vitaterra Nature, Mas Plant. Vitaterra is the largest Spanish manufacturer of garden manures and fertilizers. *Wineries Valdeviñas: Mirat, Tinar, Torrelanga. *Agricultural machinery *Fuel Distribution *Bus lines *Service points *Plant health.


Gallery

Image:Dependencias Convento Jeronimos Grupo Mirat Salamanca.jpg, Old
premise A premise or premiss is a proposition—a true or false declarative statement—used in an argument to prove the truth of another proposition called the conclusion. Arguments consist of a set of premises and a conclusion. An argument is meaningf ...
s of the Convent of Our Lady of Victory Image:Interior dependencias Convento Jeronimos Grupo Mirat Salamanca.jpg, Inside the old buildings of the
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
Image:Puerta Barroca Monasterio Jeronimos Grupo Mirat Salamanca.jpg, Detail of an 18th-century
baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
door inside the workshops Image:Monasterio Nuestras Señora de la Victoria Jeronimos Salamanca Grupo Mirat.jpg, Detail of an
arch An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
above the monastery, probably work of
Juan de Álava Juan de Álava (1480-1537) was a Spanish architect best known for his stonework produced in the Plateresque style. Life Juan de Álva was born in 1480 in Larrinoa, a locality of Zigoitia, Álava to a family of stonemasons. In 1502, de Álva tr ...


See also

* Industry in Spain *
Agriculture in Spain Agriculture in Spain is important to the national economy. The primary sector activities accounting for agriculture, husbandry, fishing and silviculture represented a 2.7% of the Spanish GDP in 2017, with an additional 2.5% represented by the ag ...
*
Manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the fertility of soil by adding organic matter and nut ...
*
Fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...


References


Bibliography

* Martínez Frías, José María (1990), ''Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria - La orden Jerónima en Salamanca'', Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. * García Figuerola, Miguel (2010), ''S.A. Mirat - 160 años de publicidad fabril'', Museo del Comercio y la Industria de Salamanca. * García Figuerola, Miguel. Ordóñez, María. Zoder, Mark (2012), ''El Barrio de Mirat - Legado de un industrial salmantino'', Museo del Comercio y la Industria de Salamanca.


External links

* {{Official website, http://www.mirat.es/ Manufacturing companies established in 1812 Agriculture companies of Spain Manufacturing companies of Spain Spanish brands