Things you didn’t know were Spanish inventions

Spain invented the original spacesuit, cigarettes, sherry, automated chessboards, acoustic guitars, and table football. More than just paella and siestas, Spanish inventions shaped modern society in ways most people never realize, from Neil Armstrong's moon walk to the guitar music we enjoy today.

Discover Spain's fascinating contributions to world innovation, and if you're living in Spain, find local services and businesses to support your expat journey.

The Original Spacesuit

Neil Armstrong would never have walked on the moon without Spanish inventor Emilio Herrera Linares. He invented the spacesuit in 1935, called the escafrandra estratonáutica, originally designed for high altitude balloon flights. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Spain.

Cigarettes

While nobody knows exactly when someone first rolled up leaves to smoke them, we can attribute the modern cigarette, smoothly wrapped in paper sticks, to the Spanish. Maize papers were originally used for rolling cigarettes in the 17th century. By the early 19th century, cigarettes began being packaged and marketed in bulk.

Sherry

One of Spain's largest exports, enjoyed worldwide for hundreds of years. Started in Andalucía when the Moors ruled thirteen centuries ago. Jerez de la Frontera, just south of Sevilla, is sherry's birthplace and home of famous Tío Pepe sherry. Spain's Sherry Triangle includes Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María.

The Automated Chessboard

Spanish inventor Leonardo Torres y Quevedo unveiled his automated chessboard in Paris in 1914, taking four years to design and produce. La Ajedrecista (chess player) used mechanical arms initially, later substituted with electromagnets beneath the table to sense piece positions. His invention proved further machinery advances were possible when information about artificial intelligence was limited.

Acoustic Guitar

Nine centuries ago, two guitar variations existed in medieval Spain: la guitarra latina (Latin guitar) and la guitarra moresca (Moorish guitar). These evolved into la vihuela, the first six-string guitar, in the 15th century. In the late 19th century, Sevillano Antonio Torres Jurado made alterations creating the modern acoustic guitar appearance.

Table Football

Known as futbolín in Spain, its origin remains hazy. Galician inventor Alexandre de Fisterra created it while recovering from Spanish Civil War bombing injuries. Inspired by table tennis while hospitalized, he conceived table football allowing wounded comrades to play football. However, evidence suggests Englishman Harold Thornton invented it in 1921 using matchbox and matchsticks inspiration, naming it foosball.