Culture

Art, landscape, nature culture, tradition

Emblematics buildings

There is a wide range of architectonic styles which are linked to the history of Cadaqués.

Modernisme (Catalan for modernism) is the most striking style. Most of the Modernist buildings, which are located at the seafront, were built by local people who had made a fortune in America. Some of these houses are really unique as they are inspired in Cuban architecture as it can be observed in their bright colours and the spectacular materials used to build them.

Some of the most remarkable buildings are as follows:

•    Casa Serinyana (Sa Casa Blaua): The blue house located at the seafront, Riba des Poal. Modernist house dating back to 20th century, by Salvador Sellés I Baró.

 
•    State school Caritat Serinyana: modernist building dating back to 1915. Donated by Serinyana family and located at Sol de l’Engirol.

 
•    Rahola house: Modernist building, located at Frederic Rahola square, 6.

 
•    Torre del Colom: modernist house dating build in the early 20th century, located at Victor Rahola avenue. The castle or tower was destroyed during the "Segadors" War. Later a windmill was built and later it disappeared. When Mr. Gabriel Columbus bought the property "Castle," it lost the ancient name. Actually it´s name is Colom castle or Colom tower.

 
•    Parish Church of Santa Maria: located at Església Square. The construction began in the middle of the 16th century and the style is mostly late Gothic. That part of the aisle nearest the façade dates from the years 1634-1640, and the "Capella Fonda" dates from the 17th. to 19th. The old church was destroyed by the Turkish pirate Barbarrosa who assaulted the village in 1543. After that, the church was rebuilt thanks to the fishermen’s contribution from fishing on bank holidays, public holidays and weekends. The church holds the most important 18th c. baroque altarpiece (School of Vic) in Alt Empordà. It is 23m high and is dedicated to Verge de l’Esperança, a Madonna.

 
•    Casino de la Amistat: Former charity centre called La Benéfica, founded late in the 19th century, 1870 neoclassic style.

 
•    Saint Baldiri church: baroque church located between Cadaqués and Portlligat, next to the local cemetery, built in 1702. Formerly it was dedicated to Abdó and Senent Saints.

 
•    Oratori Sant Pius V: sanctuary crowned by a dome and Latin cross. Built by the locals to mark the defeat of Turkish pirates in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

 
•    Far de Cala Nans: The small and white lighthouse is located on the south of Cadaqués and it has worked since 1864. The lighthouse has a small jetty. In the late 30s it was uninhabited.

•    Cap de Creus Lighthouse: Located at the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, it is considered the second oldest lighthouse in Catalonia. It came into service in 1853 and it is still an important feature in nautical charts. Nowadays it houses the Cap de Creus Centre, which is one of the information centres of the Nature Park of Cap de Creus.

 
•    "Creus" Tower: Old watchtower, a square structure with two levels. It was probably built in the seventeenth century, destroyed and rebuilt in later periods. Monitoring functions. During the Carlist wars, women and child occupied the tower. It is currently in ruins.