Ca l'Estartús

Ca l'Estartús is a modernista residential building in Teià, a small town in the Maresme region, a short distance inland from the coast northeast of Barcelona. The house stands on carrer Folch i Torres, in the historic centre of the village, and ranks among the better-preserved examples of modernist architecture in this part of Catalonia.

How do you get to Ca l'Estartús?

Teià sits slightly inland from the string of Maresme coastal towns, so the village has no railway station of its own. Driving is the most convenient option — the coastal road from Barcelona takes roughly half an hour. Travellers relying on the Rodalies regional train get off at Vilassar de Mar or El Masnou and continue to Teià's centre by local bus or taxi. The building stands right in the historic core of the village, close to the parish church, so it is easy to find on foot once you arrive.

What will you see at Ca l'Estartús?

The house is built on a rectangular plan with two nearly identical facades — one facing the street, the other at the rear — while the main entrance sits, unusually, on one of the side walls rather than on the front. This layout is uncommon on a local scale and makes the building stand out among the surrounding houses. The decorative treatment of the facade belongs to the early phase of architect Josep Majó Ribas's career, when his work still carried historicist roots combined with richly sculpted ornamentation — a hallmark of the earliest wave of Catalan modernisme. The building is listed in Catalonia's architectural heritage catalogue as a property of historical and artistic value, confirming its place in the town's urban landscape.

What is the history behind the building?

Ca l'Estartús was built as a residence for the Godó family, commissioned by Ramon Godó and designed by architect Josep Majó Ribas. The Teià commission proved to be a turning point for the architect: its success led to a further assignment in 1901, the neo-Gothic renovation of the parish church's window, and, around the same time, the design of the Godó family chapel at Can Godó, another property belonging to the same family in the village. The connection between these three projects — the house, the chapel and the church window — reflects how prominent the Godó family was in Teià around the turn of the twentieth century, and how a single residential commission could open the door to further, community-facing work for the same architect.

When is the best time to visit?

The building remains a private residence, so a visit means admiring the two facades from the street rather than stepping inside — this still allows plenty of time to take in the architectural detail. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons in the Maresme, with mild temperatures well suited to walking through Teià's historic centre and the nearby routes linking other modernist buildings in the region. Pairing the visit with a stop at the parish church, whose window was reshaped by the same architect, rounds out the outing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Ca l'Estartús? No, the building is privately owned. Both facades can be viewed from the public street around it.

Who designed the building? Architect Josep Majó Ribas, a figure associated with the early phase of Catalan modernisme, working on commission for the Godó family.

What makes this building different from a typical modernista house? It has two nearly identical facades, front and rear, and its main entrance is placed on the side rather than the front — an unusual arrangement for architecture of this period.

What else is worth seeing nearby? Teià's parish church, whose neo-Gothic window was remodelled by Majó Ribas, and the Godó family chapel at Can Godó — both completed shortly after Ca l'Estartús and forming a shared architectural thread through the village.