Arc de la casa de Mateu Tort

The Arc de la casa de Mateu Tort is a stone archway now standing in the Jardins de Mossèn Pere Ribot in Capellades, a small town in the Anoia region about 60 km from Barcelona. It is a modest but telling relic of the town's industrial past, relocated from its original site and preserved as a reminder of one of the trades that once shaped the local economy.

Where does the arch come from?

The arch dates from the early 19th century and originally belonged to a property owned by Mateu Tort, on the old Carrer del Portal, number 5. Tort was a local cotton manufacturer who produced "indianes" — printed and dyed cotton cloth that, through the 18th and 19th centuries, was one of the driving forces of Catalonia's textile industry. The arch served as the entrance to a courtyard where the fabric was dyed and dried. Its style is classified as late Baroque, typical of the industrial-era bourgeois architecture of the period: plain, sturdy stonework with little ornamentation, reflecting the building's practical purpose.

The structure is listed in Catalonia's Inventory of Architectural Heritage under the code IPA-4402, though it holds no formal legal protection status (it is not registered as BCIN or BCIL). That places it closer to a marker of local memory than a top-tier protected monument — yet the town chose to preserve it and give it a place in a public space rather than let it disappear.

Where can you see it today?

When the original property was demolished, the arch was moved to the Jardins de Mossèn Pere Ribot, a small garden square by the Ronda del Capelló roundabout. It's a quiet green pocket within the old part of town, just minutes on foot from both the town centre and the Anoia riverbank. The arch stands alone as a decorative and historical feature of the park, with no surrounding structure, so you can walk all the way around it.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Right next to it, on the same roundabout, lies the El Capelló archaeological site, one of the locations documenting early settlement in the Anoia valley — a good reason to turn a short stroll through the gardens into a slightly longer walk through local history. Capellades is also known for its papermaking tradition and its water mills along the Anoia river, so continuing along the riverbank is a natural way to extend the visit.

How do you get there?

Capellades sits on the main roads linking Barcelona with inland Catalonia, and it can be reached by car from Barcelona in under an hour. The Jardins de Mossèn Pere Ribot are within the town centre, so once you've arrived you only need a short walk — there's no need to look for parking right next to the monument itself, as centrally located spaces cover the whole area.

When should you visit?

The arch sits in an open municipal park, so it's accessible year-round. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, with comfortable temperatures for walking through the gardens and soft light that flatters the texture of the stone. In summer, aim for the morning or early evening to avoid the peak heat typical of inland Catalonia.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee for the gardens with the arch? No, the Jardins de Mossèn Pere Ribot are a public municipal park, free to enter at any time of day.

Did the arch always stand in this spot? No, it originally stood on the old Carrer del Portal as the gateway to Mateu Tort's property. It was moved to its current location after the original buildings were demolished.

How much time should I plan for a visit? The arch itself takes only a few minutes to see, but combined with a walk through the gardens and a stop at the nearby El Capelló site, budgeting around half an hour is reasonable.

Are there other sites nearby related to Capellades' industrial history? Yes, the town is known for its historic paper mills along the Anoia river, which pair naturally with a visit to an arch tied to the town's textile past.