Can Caciques

Can Caciques is a historic house on Carrer Processó in Llagostera, a small town in Catalonia's Girona province, now serving as the town's heritage interpretation centre.

What is this place?

The building grew out of one of the towers belonging to Llagostera's 14th-century defensive wall. The surviving part of the house dates from the 16th century and incorporates a square tower known as Torre Gemma, one of the best-preserved remnants of the town's old fortifications. Alongside the house itself, visitors can still make out a stretch of the moat that once ran around the medieval walls.

The name "Can Caciques" comes from a historical owner of the property, the pubilla (female heir) Collell i Casica, recorded in documents from 1737 — a naming pattern typical across Catalonia, where houses often carry the name or nickname of the family that once owned them.

An architectural detail worth noting is the set of decorative eaves tiles, dated to 1734. Around forty of them are painted with simple red-pigment designs showing plants, animals and symbolic figures, reflecting the folk craftsmanship of the period.

What will you see inside?

Since March 2014, the building has housed the Centre d'Interpretació de Llagostera, dedicated to preserving and presenting the town's heritage, particularly the municipality's archaeological and ethnological collections.

Two permanent exhibitions form the core of the visit:

• La Vila Emmurallada (The Walled Town) — traces the history of Llagostera's medieval fortifications, its castle, and the defensive wall of which the Can Caciques building itself was once a part.
• El Privilegi del Bosc (The Privilege of the Forest) — looks at the relationship between local communities and the surrounding woodland, including cork production, which underpinned the area's economy for centuries.

Beyond the permanent displays, the centre periodically hosts La Temporal, a rotating exhibition that brings out pieces from the municipality's ethnological collection not normally on view.

How to get there and what to expect?

Can Caciques sits right in the heart of Llagostera, within the boundaries of the old walled town, which makes it easy to combine a visit with a walk past the remaining traces of the medieval settlement — wall fragments and the ruins of the castle. The centre provides visitors with maps and materials for exploring the historic town centre independently, and staff also lead guided visits covering the key points of Llagostera's past.

Llagostera lies in the Gironès region, close to the Costa Brava, making it a convenient stop for travelers splitting their time between the coast and the inland towns of Girona province.

When should you visit?

A visit to Can Caciques works year-round, since the exhibitions are indoors and unaffected by weather. It is still worth checking current opening hours in advance, as a small cultural centre like this may run a limited schedule, especially outside the peak tourist season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Can Caciques? A historic house in Llagostera built partly on the foundations of a medieval defensive tower, now operating as the town's heritage interpretation centre.

Where does the building's name come from? It comes from a historical owner, the pubilla Collell i Casica, documented in records from 1737.

What can you see inside? Two permanent exhibitions — on Llagostera's walls and castle, and on the region's forest and cork economy — plus the rotating ethnological display La Temporal.

What makes the building architecturally notable? The 14th-century square Torre Gemma tower and the decorative 1734 eaves tiles featuring plant, animal and symbolic motifs.