Ca l'Aymà

Ca l'Aymà, a Modernista mansion in El Masnou on the Maresme coast near Barcelona, is locally nicknamed "el Castellet" (the little castle) thanks to its distinctive turret. Standing at Carrer Camil Fabra 21, the house is listed on Catalonia's heritage register as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local (BCIL, ref. 3589-I).

Why does the house carry this name?

The name traces back to its first owner, Antònia Pagès Llimona, widow of a Mr. Aymà. Following the Catalan custom of naming houses after the family that owned them, the building has kept the name "Ca l'Aymà" — literally "the Aymà family's house" — ever since.

When was it built, and who designed it?

Construction dates to 1907, right in the middle of the Catalan Modernisme movement, which flourished roughly between 1888 and 1910. The design is credited to Barcelona architect Roc Cot i Cot, while the building work itself was overseen by his brother, Jordi Cot i Cot. Splitting the roles this way between siblings from the same architectural workshop was a fairly common arrangement in Catalonia at the time.

What makes the architecture stand out?

The house is built from several interlocking volumes, and its façades pair smooth white render with sections of exposed brick — a contrast typical of turn-of-the-century Modernisme. The most eye-catching feature is a polygonal bay tower set at the corner where the two main volumes meet. At the rear rises a lookout tower topped with a pyramidal roof covered in glazed ceramic tiles, which is exactly what earned the building its "Castellet" nickname.

How has the building's use changed over time?

Ca l'Aymà has not always served as a private home. Between 1965 and 1969 it operated as a hotel under the name Hotel Castellet, capitalizing on its seafront location in El Masnou. Since 1988, the building has functioned as a private care home for the elderly, a use that has kept it occupied and maintained rather than left to decay, a common fate for unused heritage buildings.

Can visitors go inside Ca l'Aymà?

Because the building currently operates as a care facility, it is not open to the public in the way a museum house would be. It can, however, be admired freely from the street — walking through El Masnou, the contrast between white render and brick, along with the tower's ceramic roof, is visible from a good stretch of the road.

Why does this building matter for anyone exploring El Masnou?

El Masnou, once a fishing and seaside town just outside Barcelona, still holds a notable cluster of Modernista buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ca l'Aymà is one of the more recognizable examples of that style in town, and together with other period residences it forms part of a walking route popular with visitors interested in Catalan Modernisme.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ca l'Aymà? It is a 1907 Modernista mansion in El Masnou, listed on Catalonia's local heritage register (BCIL 3589-I) and also known as "el Castellet."

Who designed the building? Architect Roc Cot i Cot designed it, while his brother Jordi Cot i Cot supervised the construction.

Can the interior be visited? No — the building currently houses a private care home for the elderly, so access is limited to viewing the façade from outside.

Where does the "el Castellet" nickname come from? From its distinctive rear lookout tower, crowned with a pyramidal roof of glazed ceramic tiles, which resembles a small castle turret.