Ca l'Indià

Ca l'Indià is a historic townhouse at Plaça Jaume Bertran 1 in El Masnou, a small coastal town on the Maresme coast just northeast of Barcelona. The building stands on a plot long associated with the Bertran family, and its name — literally "the Indiano's house" — reflects a Catalan tradition of naming properties after people who made their fortune in the Americas.

Where does the name come from?

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, El Masnou was one of the most important sailing hubs on the Catalan coast, home to more than 700 ship captains who traded with the Americas aboard their own vessels. The plot on today's Plaça Jaume Bertran belonged to the family of captain Gaietà Bertran, and the house that once stood there was known locally as Ca l'Indià. The nickname stuck to the site even though the original building no longer stands.

What will you see there?

The Bertran family's original house was demolished in 1919. A year later, a new building designed by Bonaventura Bassegoda i Amigó, a respected Catalan architect, rose on the same plot, commissioned by Joan Bertran i Millet (1868–1941). The result is a Noucentisme building — the style that succeeded Art Nouveau-influenced Modernisme in early 20th-century Catalonia, favoring calmer, more classically inspired forms.

The facade's most distinctive feature is the staircase and main-floor entrance, set into a corner recess resting on a thick, smooth-surfaced column. It's a detail that catches the eye immediately and sets the building apart from its neighbors on the square. The house fits naturally into El Masnou's broader architectural character, where many former ship captains and their families built imposing homes to display the wealth they had earned abroad.

The building is listed in the Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya (Catalonia's Architectural Heritage Inventory), a recognition of its historical and architectural value to the local community.

How do you get to Ca l'Indià?

El Masnou sits about 20 km northeast of Barcelona and is well served by the Rodalies commuter rail network — the El Masnou station is within walking distance of the town center and Plaça Jaume Bertran. The train journey from Barcelona usually takes 20–25 minutes. The town also lies along the main coastal road, so arriving by car or bus is equally straightforward.

When should you visit?

El Masnou is a classic Mediterranean coastal town, best enjoyed in spring and autumn when temperatures are mild and there are fewer visitors than in summer. Since the building is viewed from the outside, the time of year makes little difference to seeing the facade itself — but it's worth pairing the visit with a walk through the historic center and the seafront promenade.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Walking around El Masnou, you'll come across other houses once owned by ship captains and "indianos" — a defining architectural feature of the whole town. The marina and the beach are also worth a stop, both reminders of the town's maritime past.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ca l'Indià? It's a historic residential building at Plaça Jaume Bertran 1 in El Masnou, built in 1920 in the Noucentisme style to a design by architect Bonaventura Bassegoda i Amigó.

Why is it called "the Indiano's house"? The name comes from an earlier house on the same plot that belonged to the family of captain Gaietà Bertran — "indià" was the Catalan term for someone who had grown wealthy through trade and migration to the Americas.

Who built the current building? The present townhouse was commissioned in 1920 by Joan Bertran i Millet (1868–1941), after the older family house on the site was demolished the year before.

Can you visit the inside of the building? Ca l'Indià is a private residence, so visits are limited to viewing the facade and its architectural details from outside.