Castelldefels Castle
Opening hours
From Tuesdays to Sundays (Holidays included) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Last entrance to the castle at 6 p.m.
+ INFO
castelldecastelldefels.com // Tel. +34 630 91 05 34
Situation of the Castelldefels Castle
Castelldefels Castle is situated at the top of a 59 metres above sea level hill.
It enjoys an enviable coastal position between the El Garraf and Barcelona, dominating the southern part of the delta of the Llobregat.
Originally it arose above the original Iberian village, and was in roman times a large villa and later in the sixteenth century the castle was constructed.
Castelldefels Castle complex
It had 3 different stages of construction at distinct times.
The church was constructed in the tenth century, rebuilt in the 12th century and fortified in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
The body of the building constructed in 1550 was of red sandstone.
The part built in the eighteenth century was made of white bricks and stone which gives the castle the beige tones we can see in that part of the castle.
The church
The area now occupied by Castelldefels was in the tenth century the border of lands of the Caliphateof Cordoba.
The first documents with an account of the Church of Santa Maria were written in 966, before then Count Miro of Barcelona gave the lowlands of the Llobregat delta which had been terrorized by the Arab invaders to form the monastery of Santa Maria.
In approximately 985 AD, Count Borrell 2nd of Barcelona annnexed the The Monastery of Santa Maria because of a feud with Knight of Eramprunya at the monastery of Sant Cugat.
Body A, the beginning of the castle
During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the political instability and the general social arrangements made the fortifications necessary of the Santa Maria Church which were carried out with the red sandstone. This was for control of the territory and to repel the Arab invasions.
Body B, the extension of the castle
In 1717 thanks to the economic improvements of the area construction was started on the shrine of health.
It was also possible to repair the damage of the Berber invasions when the fortifications were amplified. In 1734 the southern part of castle was
started. These works were of white bricks and stone which gave the castle the beige tones.
Abandonment and Restoration
With the disappearance of the pirates and the absence of the necessity of defence the castle was abandoned and in 1883 it fell into ruin.
In 1897 the banker Manuel Girona enlisted the architect Enric Sagner
To restore Castelldefels Castle, the castle walls, and tower are from this date. The addition of the Section B doors and the windows in late gothic style were installed.
Castelldefels City Council buys the castle
In 1988 the townhall of Castelldefels bought the castle promoting the historical and architectural study of the castle. It also started the project of restoration.
The work of the reforms consisted of rebuilding of the parts with the worst damage and the return to the original colourings. White in the Roman parts and blue in the shrine of health. Numerous works were also carried out to reveal the Roman and Iberian sub floors.
2021 Restoration
In 2001 the townhall initiated the start of new reforms two take place in two stages
1st Phase – In the first stage the consolidation, reinforcing and roofs, also the restoring of the institutional wing and creation of a centre of interpretation of the history of the castle and two exhibition halls.
2nd Phase – Reforms of the rest of the building, construction of an open air theatre and a viewing point at the highest of the castle of Castelldefels over time.
What can you see at Castelldefels Castle ?
Ground floor of the castle
The model hall
In this hall we can see the various models of the transformations the castle has suffered over centuries.
The Santa Maria Church
This is the oldest part of the castle, with three aisles of pillars and a semicircular side of the oratory.
Pirate
This is an interactive installation showing the piracy and repercussions known to have occurred in Castelldefels. This focusses the public through games, projections and stories which allows you to discover the world of piracy and the defences used against it.
In the different areas children can play games and use interactive elements to immerse themselves in the world of the pirates.
First Floor of the castle
Here we find the institution and fencing hall:
The Institutional or Noble hall is recognised by the grand stone fireplace here banquets were celebrated in the time of Manuel Girona.
The fencing hall has written and painted pieces on the walls
The castle terrace
From the highest point of Castelldefels Castle you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and the Natural Park el Garraf, to the sea and towards Barcelona. To access the view point from the terrace you can go in the lift or up the stairs.
The Gardens
Surrounding the castle you can see wonderful views of the area and enjoy wandering through the magnificent gardens. There is also a cafeteria in the gardens where you can have something to recharge your batteries.
Useful Notes
How to get there
From Barcelona by car it takes only 15 minutes and the castle has a free car parking facility. You can also acces the Castelldefels Castle by train (Rodalies Renfe Castelldefels stop) and by bus.
The viewing area includes an audio commentary, or with a booked reservation a tour guide is available.
There are various discounts available through the Baix Llobregat tourist authority at the Placa del Castell, 1, 08860 Castelldefels.