Casserres – Culture, History and Routes

When planning a trip to Casserres, local history and architecture are as much in focus as walking routes and natural landmarks. The year also has its own cycle of local festivals. Planning a stay around your interests makes it possible to choose between historic buildings, routes and seasonal traditions.

Old Town, Churches and Textile History

The old town of Casserres consists mainly of Carrer Major and Plaça de la Creu. Carrer Major brings together the original urban layout of the town. These two features therefore provide a concrete starting point for understanding its historic layout.

Sant Pau de Casserres brings together several periods: the church was consecrated as a parish church on 20 January 907. The present Romanesque building, dating from the 12th century, replaced an earlier pre-Romanesque structure. The wall paintings date from the transition between the end of the Romanesque period and the beginning of the Gothic period, and are considered especially interesting examples of medieval Catalan painting. The building’s history and its paintings offer different ways to explore the town.

The church of Mare de Déu dels Àngels houses a Baroque altarpiece created by the sculptor Segimon Pujol and consecrated in 1704. Sant Joan Degollat is a Romanesque chapel dating from the 14th century. It can be reached by an unmarked 30-minute walking path; access conditions may change. Check them before visiting.

Casserres also has a textile industrial heritage. Colònia Guixaró was established in the 19th century as a textile colony on a river. It includes workers’ housing, a church, a school, a medical centre and a theatre. Several buildings are privately owned or used for productive purposes, so the colony should not be considered an ensemble that is fully open to visitors. L’Ametlla de Casserres, also known as Colònia Monegal, is likewise a 19th-century textile colony on a river in Catalonia. For context, colonies of this kind were established mainly along the banks of the Llobregat.

Routes, a Tree and Seasonal Nature

The Ruta de les Fonts is a circular route that can be walked or cycled by mountain bike in either direction. It has three signposted variants and leads to ten springs within the municipality of Casserres. Check the signs on site before choosing a variant. The Ruta de les Colònies is another route option: it is 27 kilometres long, signposted and follows the PR C-144. The two routes can be compared primarily by their format: a circular route with variants on the one hand, and a designated 27-kilometre route on the other.

The Alzina dels Colls is another natural landmark, recognised as a monumental tree. It stands just over a kilometre from the town centre, in the direction of Viver. It is 16.5 metres tall, with an average crown width of 28.6 metres. The tree can therefore be understood not only by its status, but also by its specific dimensions.

The Bauma de les Set Portes was inhabited until the mid-20th century. Its interior includes a stable, living quarters and a well-preserved bread oven. The best access is via the Sender de les Fonts. This begins at the football pitch outside Casserres, in the direction of l’Espunyola. The cave’s history and its rooms provide a different focus from the churches and textile architecture.

On the route to Molí de Ballús, the path follows the Riera de les Febres. There is a rock overhang next to the mill. In cold, wet winters, a substantial waterfall freezes beneath it, forming a cascade of ice. This is a seasonal phenomenon: on a winter trip, it can only be expected under the conditions described.

Festivals Throughout the Year

The Trobada de Caramelles has been held every year since 1982, around fifteen days after Easter, and welcomes choirs from all over Catalonia. The Festa Major d’estiu is celebrated around the feast day of Saint Bartholomew on 24 August; the festivities take place on the nearest weekend. The Festa Major d’hivern falls around the feast day of Saint Joseph. Its programme includes exhibitions, workshops, a street parade, a theatre performance and dancing.

Other events have a different focus: the Aplec de Sant Blai takes place on the Sunday after 3 February at the Sant Miquel de Fonogedell hermitage. It includes a rosary and the singing of the Goigs de Sant Blai. The Festa de la Mare de Déu del Roser in l’Ametlla de Casserres takes place on the weekend closest to 7 October during the first week of October. If you are travelling for a festival, check the current programme and dates for that year.

The Foc de Sant Isidre is celebrated on 14 May. On the evening before, a fire is lit and fireworks are set off at night. The traditional refreshments served to participants include coca with chocolate, Moscatell and non-alcoholic soft drinks. Together with the festivals in spring, summer and autumn, this makes up a cultural calendar whose specific event dates can be easily incorporated into your travel plans.

For an overview of the wider destination: Barcelona.