Origins
Humans have inhabited the site on which Reus's city centre is situated almost continuously for nearly a million years. As the objects preserved and exhibited at the Salvador Vilaseca Archaeological Museum demonstrate, numerous archaeological sites from just about all chronological periods have been discovered in the Reus area. Especially important during Roman times were agriculture and raising livestock, which was complemented by intense pottery production.
Despite this ancient history, Reus is a town of medieval origins, documented from 1154. Through trade — the Port of Salou, the market and the fair, Reus soon became one of the most important towns in the Camp region, creating a wide area of economic and human influence that was the breadbasket for a large part of southern Catalonia during the 14th century. Reus had a feudal lord that answered to the Cathedral of Tarragona. In fact, two Lords of Reus were even named Pope, and one of them, Benet XIII, was the Pope and the Lord of Reus at the same time.
In the 16th century and during the first third of the 17th century, Reus grew significantly and become an important industrial centre, with strong serge and pottery producing sectors. As in the rest of Catalonia, the Catalan Revolt put an abrupt halt to things in Reus; it took until the last third of the century for the first signs of recovery from the revolt to appear.
"Reus, Paris, London"
In the 18th century Reus experienced continuous population growth and extraordinary urban and industrial development. This lasted throughout the second half of the century and saw Reus become the second biggest Catalonian city in terms of population. The town expanded beyond its walled confines to triple its previous size. As for the economy, the production and export of spirits become very important, but so did the textile industry, especially the production of silk. The locally popular expression "Reus, Paris, London" is testament to this boom period and has its origins in the fact that the international prices of spirits were set in these three cities.
Catalonia’s second city
The arrival of the 19th century saw the end of the old order and the guild-based production model. The industrialization of the city brought about a change in mentality and saw traditional culture giving way to modern culture: in the second half of the century, new interests and ideologies were firmly established in Reus. This made Reus, after Barcelona, a focal point for cultural movements. A major setback to this industrial framework, caused by the crisis that affected the textile and wine-producing sector, transformed the city into an important commercial hub during the 20th century. Inheriting this commercial tradition, Reus’s commercial sector is held in high esteem throughout Catalonia and boasts more than 500 businesses.