53 Spanish Inventions: Learn About The Innovative Inventions

If you are living a comfortable and easy life at this moment, some credit must go to the Spanish people as it was their inventions that have made our lives this comfortable today.

There is no doubt that the Spanish inventors have had an unparalleled impact on the world today; their products are widely used in almost every country of the world.

The most amazing fact here is that the Spanish inventions range from the submarine used by many countries for tactical, security and research purposes, but at the same time, the Spaniards were also the ones who invented the lollipop!

Before we delve into some of the greatest Spanish inventions ever, let us take a look at the five greatest inventions of all time made in the world. Several studies and researchers believe that the likes of DNA, the internet, antibiotics, medical imaging and artificial intelligence are the five greatest inventions of all time.

Now, a Spaniard's love for art and culture is not unknown and a similar phenomenon can be seen in their inventions over the years.

The invention of table football or the foosball table and the Spanish guitar reflect the love for football and music in Spanish culture. So read on to find out some more.

Fun Facts About Spanish Inventions

From the spacesuit to the mop that we use in our home, Spanish inventions have given us products that we did not know we needed and they certainly have made our lives easier. Let us take a closer look at some of the most famous inventions by the Spaniards.

The mop was invented in 1956 by a member of the Spanish Air Force, he was also an engineer and was known by the name of Manuel Jalón. Before the invention of the mop, people had to clean the floors of their houses with their hands using a wet rag.

It was a cumbersome task as it pained the knees and the hands of the person undertaking the task but ever since the invention of the mop, the task was made a lot easier and more convenient.

If you love the lollipop, take a moment and thank Enric Bernat, the inventor of lollipops. Enric Bernat created lollipops back in 1957, and within a year the famous Spanish lollipop brand 'Chupa Chups' was born, currently, it is owned by Perfetti Van Melle, a multinational corporation of Italian-Dutch origin.

As a fact about Chupa Chups, in 1995 it became the first-ever candy to be consumed in space!

Another one of the amazing facts about Spanish inventions is that it was a Spanish man, who by profession was a poet and publisher, that went on to invent table soccer or what we call foosball these days.

It was Alejandro Campos Ramírez who got the idea to invent this game when he was in a hospital in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. He came across a lot of children who complained of not being able to play football.

This inspired him to invent the game of table football and it was later patented in 1937.

Did you know the Spanish inventor Ignacio Urresti invented the coffee grinder-inspired, crank pencil sharpener in 1945? This was not the first pencil sharpener in the world but it undoubtedly was the most comfortable one. It, to date, looks quite unique and different from a pencil sharpener.

List Of Spanish Inventions

You might not be aware of it but the Spanish ingenuity has been influencing your day-to-day lifestyle for decades. Over the years, the Spaniards have produced some of the most useful products that humans all over the world use even today.

The Spanish people have left no box unticked, they have made inventions in the entertainment sector, the defense sector, the food and beverage sector and even technology-related items.

Some of the most famous Spanish inventions to date are the classical guitar or the Latin guitar, the digital calculator, cable car, submarine, mop, disposable syringe, foosball, lollipop, the gyroplane and many more as well.

The gyroplane, invented in the 1920s by the Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva was one of the most amazing Spanish inventions ever.

It is believed to be a precursor of the helicopters that we see today.

The biggest advantage that the invention of Juan de la Cierva had over airplanes was that it could land and take off in very small areas when compared to airplanes that needed huge runways.

Did you know the Spanish mathematician and civil engineer, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo was the person who invented the first digital calculator?

This Spanish invention is considered as one of the most impactful ever as it is widely used even today with certain modifications and upgrades but it was Leonardo Torres y Quevedo in 1914 who first invented the concept of such digital calculators.

The genius of this man didn't end here, as Leonardo Torres y Quevedo is also the inventor of the cable cars that we see today all around the world.

Did you know that the lollipop isn't the only Spanish invention that has traveled to outer space since the spacesuits that we see astronauts wearing were partially designed by Emilio Herrera Linares, a Spanish physicist and military engineer?

You must have heard of the famous British drink, Sherry but did you know that it originated from the Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia!

Most Famous Spanish Invention

Spain is the home to a number of inventions ranging from items that we use in our daily lives to the ones which are generally used for entertainment and defense purposes. Of all these inventions, the Spanish guitar and the submarine are believed to be the most famous ones.

The Spanish guitar was invented back in 1850 by Antonio Torres Jurado. Previously classical guitar designs were also developed in Spain from the 13th century to the 1600s but the guitar that we see today was invented in the mid 19th century.

This guitar had a curved body shape so that it could be comfortable for the guitarist to play.

The other most famous Spanish invention is believed to be the submarine. This underwater vessel was a revolution, it was run by an engine and it was now possible to go to the depths of the sea for research and defense purposes.

Spanish Invention Of The Submarine

Spain is credited for the invention of both the combustion engine-driven submarine as well as the first electric battery-powered submarine which was specially designed for military purposes.

The engine-driven submarine was invented by Narcís Monturiol Estarriol in 1859, he was a designer and inventor by profession. Twenty-nine years later it was the Spanish engineer Isaac Peral who came up with the concept of the electric-powered submarine.

This submarine was entirely made of steel and currently, it is displayed at the Port of Cartagena (Murcia) as a historical invention.

Spanish Invention Of The Lollipop

It was the Spanish businessman Enric Bernat, the founder of Chupa Chups who is credited for the invention of lollipops. The lollipops were invented by him in 1957 and the famous lollipop brand Chupa Chups was launched a year later in 1958.

Did you know that the Chupa Chups logo that we see today was designed by the one and only Salvador Dali in 1969?

Chupa Chups came as a revolution in the world of sweets and toffees.

Parents and children were no longer worried about getting their hands dirty after eating the sweet and its appearance was different from any other item at that point in time.

Moreover, historical records say that these lollipops became the first-ever sweets to be placed in a jar and kept on the counter leading the buyer to make an impulsive decision and buy the sweet.

Along with the iconic logo designed by Salvador Dali, Chupa Chups is recognized as one of the greatest stories of branding even today and also one of the tastiest Spanish inventions ever!