The post-industrial district

Poblenou is the name of this traditional neighbourhood which was known, years ago, as "the Manchester of Catalonia" due to the dense cluster of factories located here. De-industrialisation, triggered by the crisis in the textile sector in the 1960s, opened up a reconversion process which has resulted in the current district 22@bcn: a name which defines the tertiary industries associated with the new digital technologies and economy. Today, new hotels have been built here, and some of the former industrial units have been converted into facilities which can be used by the public. The neighbourhood has always been known for its large number of recreational and cultural organisations, and these new facilities are in keeping with its working-class past, its public-spirited atmosphere and the vibrant activity of its associations.