The most important Spanish inventions in history
The top 3 according to 5 votes from people: Autogyro · Peral submarine · Mop with wringer bucket. (Updated May 31, 2025.)
From the mop and Chupa Chups to the autogyro, Peral's submarine and the first e-book: inventions born in Spain that went around the world. Which do you think is the best?
Automatically translated (original in Español). See the original
Top 16
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1
Autogyro
Juan de la Cierva, 1923: the free-rotor aircraft that paved the way for the helicopter.
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2
Peral submarine
Isaac Peral, 1888: one of the first electrically powered military submarines.
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3
Mop with wringer bucket
Manuel Jalón popularised it in the 1950s: no more scrubbing floors on your knees.
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4
Modern classical guitar
Antonio de Torres set the shape of the classical guitar in the 19th century.
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5
Chupa Chups
Enric Bernat, 1958: the lollipop, with a logo by Salvador Dalí.
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6
Table football
Alejandro Finisterre patented it in 1937 for children wounded in the war.
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7
Talgo train
Alejandro Goicoechea, 1942: the light articulated train.
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8
Ictíneo
Narcís Monturiol, 1859: a pioneering submarine; Ictíneo II was the first with an air-independent combustion engine.
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9
El Ajedrecista
Leonardo Torres Quevedo, 1912: an automaton that played chess endgames.
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10
Telekino
Torres Quevedo, 1903: one of the first radio remote controls.
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11
Whirlpool Aero Car
Torres Quevedo designed the cable car that has crossed the Falls since 1916.
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12
Mechanical encyclopedia
Ángela Ruiz Robles, 1949: a forerunner of the e-book.
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13
Laryngoscope
Singer Manuel García first observed his own vocal cords with a mirror (1854).
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14
Verea calculator
Ramón Verea, 1878: a mechanical calculator that multiplied directly.
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15
Disposable syringe
Manuel Jalón also developed and manufactured it in Spain.
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16
Stratonautical space suit
Emilio Herrera, 1935: a forerunner of the space suit.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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