Historical Centre

The striking silhouette of the medieval castle overlooking the town, its numerous colonial-style houses, the layout and profile of the streets and alleys of the old town and the old fishermen's huts still conserved in the coves testify to a long and intense history in which pirates, sailors, coral gatherers, fishermen, wealthy emigrants returning from overseas and entire generations of Begur townspeople have populated these lands which, despite all the inevitable transformations, have lost not a trace of their roots or identity with the passing of time.

Historical monuments

Can Petu (Casa Pere Pont)

Pere Pont Puig, for whom the house was built, emigrated to Ponce (Puerto Rico) where he dedicated himself to commerce. On his return to Begur in 1889, he had a grand house built where he lived with his wife Joaquima Carreras and his family.

Can Pi

Pere Pi Carreras, together with his younger brother Josep, emigrated to Cuba where they opened a grocery store, a business that they complemented with imports and exports related to the cork industry. This house keeps alive one of the most characteristic features of the returning emigrants’ houses in Bonaventura Carreras Street, the custom of having a south-facing garden.

Can Sora

It was built in around 1870, when the Cama-Martí family returned from Havana having made their fortune. Inside the porch there are still the frescos that represent the romantic landscapes of the Americas. On the grille in front of the door, you can see the initials JC, corresponding to Josep Cama Rovira, the first owner of the property.

Carrer de Vera

Vera is a place in Almeria where many Begur residents went to find coral from the 14th century to the 19th century. Coral was one of the most important economic activities of the population. The houses in this street, together with those in Carrer Sant Antoni, were simple and aesthetically very modest.

Carrer del Castell

An old mediaeval street that led into the castle. According to the tradition, the inhabitants of the street had to offer a glass of water to the feudal lords of the castle when they passed by. This was considered to be an authentic vassalage tribute.

Casa Bonaventura Caner Bataller

It was built in 1866 by Bonaventura Caner Bataller of Begur, who emigrated to Cuba in 1845. On returning to Begur, he invested part of his fortune in the cork industry. The architectural composition of the house is neoclassical, with stone pilasters on the ground floor that are continued on the upper floors.

Casa de Josep Forment

Josep Forment, who emigrated to Havana in 1845, had it built in 1866 when he returned to Begur with a noble social position. On the railings of the balcony you can see the initials JFP, corresponding to Josep Forment Pi. The façade is in neoclassical style with ashlars on the ground floor and pilasters that go round the two upper floors.

Casa de la Vila

House built in 1902, when it occurred the mass return of begurencs of America. Although not recognize their owners were Indian, the house contains several elements such as floral Indian aesthetics at the doors or painted plaster decorations.

Casa del senyor Puig

Fue construida en el año 1872 por Sebastià Puig Carreras quien, a pesar de no «haber
hecho las Américas» construyó la casa bajo la influencia estética indiana. La fachada está pintada con frescos que reproducen un paisaje marino en el que predominan los azules y los ocres.

Casa Josep Pi Carreras

It was built in 1860 by Josep Pi Carreras. He and his brother Pere opened a grocery store called La Industrial and a baker’s in Havana. To the rear of the house there is still a veranda with views of the garden.

Casa Paco Font

It is considered to be the last house in the style of those who had returned from the West Indies to have been constructed in Begur, as it dates from the beginning of the 20th century. It was built under the influence of Modernisme, which can be found in the fragility that decorates the frames of the doors and windows. It belonged to Francesc Font who emigrated to Ponce (Puerto Rico) for military reasons, as a volunteer in 1889.

Casa Pere Cortada Sabater

Pere Cortada was born in 1815 and started his American adventure in the 1830s, with his
brothers Manuel and Josep. Their destination was Santiago de las Vegas and Matanzas, where they had businesses. The mural paintings in the house that decorate the walls of the entire main floor are notable.

Casa Pere Roger

It was bought in 1859 by Pere Roger i Puig and Josep Carreras Frigola who had returned from the West Indies. However, Roger emigrated to Cuba, where he founded a tobacco factory in the Santiago de las Vegas area. On the interior walls and ceilings there are still drawings and frescos with the subjects and the style of those who had returned from the West Indies. In the porch that gives onto the patio, there are frescos with a maritime theme.

Casa Ramon Silvestre Darder

The house was built in 1887 by Ramon Silvestre Darder. Ramon, together with his brothers Josep and Joan, emigrated to Cuba between 1835 and 1840. It was usual for those returning from the Americas to leave their mark on the houses they built; the initials of his name appear on the door lintels, grilles and balconies.

Casa Térmens

It was built in 1869 and was owned by Santiago Mauri Carreras, who opened a fabric shop in Santiago de Cuba to supply the Spanish army. Worthy of a mention are the mouldings on the ground floor, the grooved pilasters on the first floor and the iron railings on the balconies.

Casa Vicenç Ferrer Bataller

It was built in around 1887 by Vicenç Ferrer Bataller who had emigrated to Cuba in 1856, where he was dedicated to the tobacco industry and the sale of flour. The decoration of the house, the railings and the grilles are in Modernist style with graffiti and drawings that refer to natural motifs.

Casino Cultural

It was opened in 1870 and was built on the initiative of the people who had returned from the West Indies, which is why it is called the Casino dels Senyors (The Gentlemen’s Casino) or Casino Vell (The Old Casino). It represents the merging of the town’s two older casinos: El Bagurense and La Unión. Architecturally, one should mention the huge size of the building, its large windows and doors lined with mouldings and the outside walls in un-worked stone.

Castell

It is of mediaeval origin and the first feudal lord we know about was Arnust de Begur, documented at the beginning of the 11th century. In 1607, the owners of the castle sold the rights to the municipality of Begur. In 1810, the castle was subject to its final destruction during the Napoleonic Wars.

Centre Artístic Begurenc

The Arts Centre was home to the social and cultural life of the town from the final years of the 19th century until the outbreak of the civil war. It was founded by the Forgas Estrabau family and by workers from the Forgas factory. In 1918, Marià Frigola Forgas rented the ballroom and the theatre for use as a silent cinema. The cinema continued in use until 1978.

Ermita de Sant Ramon

The first documented notes on the construction of the hermitage date from the 18th century. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) it was completely destroyed and in 1951, thanks to a private initiative, its reconstruction was started, trying to reproduce the old building.

Es Cantó d’es peix

Before the municipal market was opened in 1963, the market was held in the town square and the fish stalls were set up here. Every morning, between half past seven and eight o’clock, the women arrived with their baskets full of fish which they placed on the wooden counters there were. It was also a place for exchanging all the gossip and anecdotes concerning Begur and its people.

Es Pedrís Llarg

This long stone bench, that runs around the side façade of the church, is popularly known as es pedrís llarg (the long stone bench). Thanks to its position, it is a perfect place to sit and observe the social life of the town and has been, for several generations of Begur dwellers, a place to enjoy the shade and have a chat. Its rounded, worn stones show the passage of the years.

Escoles Velles

This building was converted into the local state school in 1961 and operated as such until the mid 70s, when today’s schools were opened in the outskirts of the town.

Mas Carreras

It was built in the second half of the 19th century by Josep Carreras Frigola, a Begur trader who had emigrated to Santiago de Cuba in 1831. It is a majestic house in the genuine style of those who returned from abroad, with large, carefully decorated rooms. Inside there was a 16th-century tower which was knocked down when the house was built.

Plaça Forgas

The Forgas factory was in this square, dedicated to the cork industry, which brought together various cork stopper workshops that had been set up in Begur. During the early years of the 20th century, it had as many as 600 workers. In the site of the old factory, the bailaora Carmen Amaya gave one of her last shows on 24th of August 1963.

Torre de Can Marquès

Despite being incorporated into a farmhouse built in the 19th century, the tower was raised in the 16th century, at a time when a royal authorisation was conceded to construct towers as a defence from the assault of the pirates. In the top part, stones and other objects were kept to be thrown at the enemy during sieges.

Torre de Sant Ramon (Torre d’en Caixa)

Built in the 16th century as a defence against the assaults of the pirates that laid siege to the Mediterranean. Entrance to these towers was by means of wooden stairs that were removed once everyone was inside, making it difficult for the attackers to get in.

Torre Hermanac de Can Pi

It was built in the 16th century although a farmhouse was included in the 19th century. In 1577, a royal licence was issued to build several towers in Begur to defend the population from the pirate attacks. Carrer Bonaventura, where this tower is located, was known as carrer de les torres (the street of the towers) until 1906.

Torre Pella i Forgas

A tower that was built in around the 16th century as a defence against the assaults of the pirates. It was built on the natural rock and worthy of a mention are the arabesque
motifs of the windows. It belonged to the Begur politician, lawyer and historian, Josep Pella i Forgas (1853-1918).

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