Castell de Santa Florentina has its roots as a 11th century fortified farmhouse, built on the ruins of a Roman villa to defend the area of Canet de Mar against pirates. It evolved into a proper castle-that-looks-like-a -castle-with-turrets in the 14th century.
And that’s how it pretty much stayed until the end of the 19th century, when noted Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who was related to the then owner Ramon de Montaner, came and put his own stamp on the building, employing a team of like-minded craftsmen and sculptors. We Brits would probably recognise the style as being somewhat pre-Raphaelite: a rather romanticised Gothic vibe.
We went there yesterday. It was a bit unexpected. The route to the castle was an overgrown, muddy and pot-holed track to which our poor car strongly objected. The gate to the castle grounds was unprepossessing, firmly locked, and we and our two fellow would-be visitors wondered whether the place would open in time for our booked visit – or at all. It did: and our initial doubts were soon replaced as we wandered round this glorious building with its stained glass, ornate ironwork, fine ceilings and sculptures, harmoniously blending with the existing Gothic structure.
It’s beyond me to give you a structured and informative tour. Why don’t you just enjoy some of the details that we spotted and lingered over in the time we spent there?
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
Looks well worth a visit Margaret
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Definitely. If you can rise to the challenge!
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Thanks for the virtual tour, Margaret! What a wonderful building great stained glass amazing carved Capitals, Floor tiles…. Right up my street!
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Wonderful carvings. Sounds like you’re having a fair bit of ‘weather’
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Today is lovely. But it’s the calm before another storm – Ingrid – apparently.
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Ah, yes. Ingrid has arrived here already. And once again we are without power.
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I didn’t realise Ingrid was coming from the UK. Good luck on getting your power restored.
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Ingrid is coming across the Atlantic but from the south rather than the west. Which is why it’s hitting the iberian peninsula as well as us.
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Patchy here. Much of the rest of Spain is getting it worse.
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He’s a fine architect, isn’t he? Love his buildings. Well done on getting inside this one xx
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It was a great opportuity to see one of his lesser known commissions. I would have liked longer, but …. we can go again xx
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Those arches are so elegant and the glass is stunning.
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Agreed! I wish we could have stayed longer. But a time-slot is a time-slot apparently.
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That romantic gothic air was quite the style across Europe in the 19th century. Lovely examples on the columns
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It really is a special place that reflects its history so well.
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Beautiful! I hope the car has recovered and forgiven you.
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It has. Mainly owing to Malcolm’s familiarity in his youth with dodgem cars I suspect!
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Wonderful details captured beautifully.
That angle with the horse is excellent.
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It wasn’t a place that was easy to photograph.. Long arms and twisty limbs required!
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Beautiful inside and out.
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Absolutely!
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Well worth the drive and concerned wait. It is quite lovely
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Definitely. We’ll go again one day.
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What a wonderful mix of history and atmosphere. I really liked how you described that slightly doubtful arrival—the muddy track, the locked gate, the wondering whether it would even open—and how completely that melts away once you’re inside. It makes the experience feel earned somehow.
The way the modernist details sit so comfortably within the earlier Gothic structure really comes through in the photos, especially the stained glass and ironwork. I also enjoyed that you didn’t try to turn this into a formal tour, but instead invited us to linger over the details you were drawn to. It feels much more like walking alongside you than being guided around.
Definitely a place that rewards patience… and a forgiving car!
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Thank you so much for your comments. It’s a real privilege to have the time to discover these lesser-known monuments which bring as many rewards as some of the better known sites .
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This looks well worth the muddy track and disconcerting arrival! I love the stained glass and those figures on the columns. Thank you for showing us these beautiful details 🙂
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We were so glad to have gone. We’ll go again! Thanks Sarah!
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Cool art and decor. Somehow seems to be an antecedent of the Sagrada familia style.
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Yup. All spring from the same fount!
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Lingering over the details is far more enjoyable. I can imagine every carving and stained glass has a story to tell.
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Definitely. In many, it was possible to invent our own.
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A priceless piece of history.
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It absolutely is. And a bit of a secret, apparently.
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A marvellous building and maintained well.
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It is. Parts of it are still lived in by the family.
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Securing its future!!
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👍
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What a magnificent place. I really enjoyed your photos showing some of the details closer up. It must be possible to linger and explore there for hours and hours.
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If only. We were whisked round rather, and we would like to have stayed longer. We’ll definitely go back for another visit.
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