Didn’t city life exist long ago? Torre Negra stands as a testament to a different era. It is a fortified farmhouse with origins stretching back to the 12th century. Let’s uncover its secrets.
Torre Negra began as a fort in 1145. Abbot Ermengol of Sant Cugat Monastery gave land to ten free men. Their mission was to repopulate the area. They needed to build a fortress to defend against raids from Al-Ándalus. The monastery lacked walls. Torre Negra became their defense.
The original structure didn’t last. However, its purpose was clear. It aimed to repopulate, defend, and manage the Gausac and Cercedol valleys. Torre Negra stood beside an ancient road. This road connected Barcelona to the Sant Cugat monastery. It replaced the old Riquer Castle from the 10th century. The Almoravids had completely destroyed that castle.
In 1195, a noble family moved in. They had no ties to the monastery. Soon, the fortified house became known as Torre de Vilanova. The Vilanova family eventually passed it to the Palou family. Then the Erill family took ownership.
In 1303, the Palou family bought Torre de Vilanova. They were investors from Barcelona. They kept the fortified house and its lands for about 300 years. The Palou family added their family shields to the walls. They also added ship graffiti. They had grown rich through maritime trade. The feudal fortified house was renamed Torre de Palou. The family continued buying land. They formed a large domain called the Quadra de Vilanova.
The Palou family made significant renovations in 1432. They rebuilt collapsed ceilings with wood. They added an interior courtyard. They expanded the house into the imposing building we see today. It became a three-story domus. It had a ground floor, a main floor, and an upper floor.
The monks of the monastery opposed the expansion. They couldn’t stop the work. The monastery claimed seigneurial rights. They felt a large domus couldn’t exist within their jurisdiction. In the 16th century, the building became known as the Torre del Baró de Palou. This reflected their seigneurial rights.
The Palou family disregarded the monastery. They managed the Quadra de Vilanova independently. They appointed their own bailiff to collect taxes. The Canals castle also managed the Quadra de Canals. The difference was that the monastery appointed the barons and bailiffs in charge of Canals.
The Palou family lacked a direct male heir. In 1590, Estefania de Palou passed the property to Constança Merlès. She was married to Francesc d’Erill. The fortified house became the property of a major noble family. Instead of taking the new heir’s name, it became Torre Negra. This name came from the dark color of its stones.
When the Erill family also lacked a male heir, it passed to the Marquis of Rupit. He clashed with the monks. In 1728, the Benedictine monks of Sant Cugat Monastery bought Torre Negra. For a century, they controlled it. They held dominion over 12 farmhouses initially. By 1787, only seven were inhabited. This was a time of depopulation. Torre Negra adapted to agricultural functions. Later, the Benedictines abandoned the fortified house. They took all valuable items.
By 1819, only one farmhouse remained inhabited. Soon after, Mendizábal’s confiscation of church property led to its auction. The Rabadà family bought it in 1842.
They acquired the fortified farmhouse and 250 hectares of land. This also included 2,000 olive trees and an olive press. They leased the fields. They cultivated the land. They employed up to 60 permanent laborers. They added historicist windows to the facade. This gave it a medieval look.
Until recently, the Rabadà family owned Torre Negra. They used it as a summer house to escape Barcelona’s industrialization. After 180 years, amid environmental conflicts, they sold it.
In 2022, the Sant Cugat City Council purchased Torre Negra. They paid 2.8 million euros for it. This included three hectares of agricultural and forest land. It’s a symbolic price. It brings the building under the protection of the city council. Stripped of annexes and surrounded by a protected forest, it now serves a public function.
Torre Negra embodies the legacy of prosperous agricultural life. It reflects a town of farmers and monks. The town council debates its future use. What role will Torre Negra play in Sant Cugat’s future? Its stones hold centuries of stories.