Culture
Tower of Hermanac de Can Pi
The MAS D'EN PINC SPACE is a public/private municipal facility oriented along two major axes. Firstly, the configuration of a work center for the management, protection, study and dissemination of the marine and terrestrial natural capital of Begur and Esclanyà. Secondly, a space for disseminating the history of the municipality through the eyes of the building itself.
The equipment is located at Mas d'en Pinc, a traditional Catalan farmhouse composed of different volumes, an interior courtyard and a defense tower against piracy built in the 16th century. The tower can currently be visited and from this viewpoint you get a less common view of the northern side of Begur Castle. The tour is part of the Begur lookout route.
More information HERE
In 1961, the flamenco artist Carmen Amaya settled in the farmhouse until the date of his death on November 19, 1963. The farmhouse passed into the hands of the Begur Town Council and for 25 years (until 2015 ) was the seat of the Nereo Association, which promoted the creation of the Ses Negres Marine Reserve.
The ESPAI MAS D'EN PINC was born in 2016 as the headquarters of the Environment Area of Begur City Council as well as other local entities from the private world. The facility has several exhibition spaces, a library, the documentary collection of the Ses Negres Marine Reserve, a laboratory, a multipurpose space open to everyone with a projector suitable for meetings as well as talks and courses (capacity for 25 people), as well as a camping area for Scout organizations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA - Space Mas d'en Pinc
Passeig Carmen Amaya, 12 · 17255 Begur
Tel. 872 214 977
mediambient@begur.cat
OPENING TIMES:
From Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Tower of Can Marquès
This tower, very well conserved, dates from the 16th century, althoug it is part of a house built in the 19th century. The tower has a slightly conical form, with a cellar almost two meters high in the base. In 1577, a general royal permit was announced to build towers for defence against the pirate raids. These towers usually had two or three floors, isolated by large vaults and communicated by a side moat. To climb up, to the upper floors, a movable wooden ladder was used, an dthen the last person who climbed pulled it up to avoid access to outsiders. Stones and other heavy objects were kept on the roof to throw down at enemies. Another defence element was the machicolation, a kind of bay window with slatted base through which stones could also be hurled down on the enemy.
Tower Pella i Forgas
This tower has this name because it was owned by the illustrious local historian and legal adviser Mr. Josep Pella i Forgas (1852-1918), who occupied various political positions and was, too, a true pioneer of archaeology in the Empordà region, as his research work has served as the unquestionable basis of most of the subsequent historical studies of the region. He wrote the monumental book Historian del Ampurdán (Story of the Empordà). The tower rests directly on the bed of the rock, which gives it great presence.
Tower of Mas Mauri de Vall
Tower build in the 16th century, the wall is 1,30 meters thick, and it is the tower with a bigger diameter on its base, 4,10 m. For this detail it is supposed to be the highest tower in the village. Next to it there were lime ovens, and to get them supplied, the tower was gradually destructed, so currently its' only about seven meters are left.
Tower of Sant Ramon
An old defence tower, also from the 16th century, situated in the Sant Ramon street, and known popularly as Caixa's Tower, which has been excellently conserved over the years. This tower overlooks the castle rise and has a solemnity proper to large buildings. Its conservation and position make it the most interesting tower to examine. As can be seen, the original defenseive function of the towers dictated their homogeneous style of construction. The entrance door was very small; to obstruct the entry of attackers, and sometimes instead of a door there was a narrow and low window.
