Ca la Bona Mossa

Ca la Bona Mossa is a historic masia — a traditional Catalan farmhouse — standing in the municipality of Dosrius, in the Maresme region, a short drive inland from the Barcelona coast. The building is listed in the Inventory of Catalan Architectural Heritage, meaning its historical value has been formally recognised by Catalonia's heritage authorities. For travellers looking for an authentic, off-the-beaten-track corner of Maresme, it makes a rewarding stop on routes heading away from the seaside resorts and into the region's rural interior.

What makes Ca la Bona Mossa worth a look?

The farmhouse follows the classic layout of a Catalan masia: a pitched roof whose lateral slopes meet to form a triangular pediment on the main façade. This design, typical of rural Maresme, drained rainwater efficiently while also giving the building the symmetrical silhouette that made these houses instantly recognisable from a distance across the fields.

The façade features a sundial, once a practical tool for marking the working hours of the day in a farming household and now a small window into the daily rhythms of the people who lived here. The main entrance is a round portal built from eleven cut stone voussoirs arranged in a precise arch — a technique that demanded real stonemasonry skill and points to a more prestigious build than a simple farm shed. Next to it sits a second, smaller portal closed with a straight lintel, likely marking a service or side entrance separate from the main residential quarters.

Which architectural details are worth examining up close?

Above each of the two portals are pairs of windows in the Gothic conopial style, a design characteristic of the 16th century. Their distinctive flattened, ogee-curved arch is one of the most recognisable markers of late Gothic rural architecture in Catalonia, and it is the clearest clue to dating the building. Between the jamb and the keystone of the main portal there is also a small loophole — a narrow defensive opening — a reminder that country residences of the period were often built with basic defence against raids or bandits in mind, not just comfort.

Taken together — the solid stone body, the symmetrical pedimented façade, the ornate main portal, and the modest defensive openings — Ca la Bona Mossa illustrates how a Catalan masia combined farming, family life, and defence in a single structure.

How do you get there, and when should you visit?

Dosrius sits inland in Maresme, surrounded by the hills of the Serralada Litoral, the coastal range that separates the shoreline from Catalonia's interior. The easiest approach is by car from the nearby coastal towns, following local roads for a short drive into the hills. The surrounding countryside is popular with hikers and mountain bikers, so a visit to Ca la Bona Mossa pairs well with a longer walk on the local trails.

The best months to visit are spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October), when temperatures are mild and the fields and woodlands typical of Maresme look their best around the farmhouse. Summers here can be hot and dry, which makes longer walks in the surrounding countryside less comfortable.

Keep in mind that Ca la Bona Mossa is a private rural property, not a museum with set visiting hours — the best way to experience it is to walk around the surrounding area and take in the architecture from outside, as part of a broader exploration of the Dosrius municipality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ca la Bona Mossa? It is a historic masia, a traditional Catalan farmhouse, located in the municipality of Dosrius in the Maresme region. It is listed in the Inventory of Catalan Architectural Heritage.

How old is the building? The Gothic conopial windows above the portals point to the 16th century as the period to which at least part of the current façade can be dated.

Can visitors go inside? Ca la Bona Mossa is a private property, not a museum, so visits are limited to viewing the façade and surrounding architecture from outside.

What makes this farmhouse stand out from others in the area? The combination of a round eleven-voussoir portal, a sundial on the façade, and a surviving defensive loophole — features rarely found together on a building of this scale.