Can Tarter

Can Tarter is a heritage-protected house in traditional Catalan masia style, standing at Carrer de Montserrat 25 in Premià de Mar, a coastal town in the Maresme comarca just outside Barcelona. The building is listed as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local (BCIL, registration number 9100-I) and appears in the Catalan Architectural Heritage Inventory, making it one of the town's protected examples of 20th-century local building tradition.

What is Can Tarter?

Can Tarter was built in 1943 using materials from the nearby Can Manent brickworks. It belongs to what is known as "popular contemporani" architecture — a vernacular, craftsman-driven building style common along the Catalan coast in the first half of the 20th century, when houses were raised from locally available materials rather than designed by major architectural studios. Construction is credited to a builder known as Sr. Comas.

The house follows a rectangular plan and the classic masia layout: a central residential body flanked by two lateral wings that originally served as covered porches. Both the central section and the side wings are topped with double-pitched roofs covered in Arab tile, a hallmark of Mediterranean vernacular building. On the ground floor, a semicircular arch marks the main entrance, accompanied by two splayed arches corresponding to the former porches and a rectangular window; the upper floor is lit by two lintelled windows. The building survives in good condition and is still used as a private residence today.

How to get there?

Premià de Mar sits on the Rodalies R1 commuter rail line linking the Maresme coast to Barcelona — trains from the city center take around 30 minutes. From Premià de Mar station, it is a short 10-15-minute walk through the town center to Carrer de Montserrat. The area also makes an easy stop for anyone touring the Maresme coast by car, along the N-II road or the C-32 motorway.

What will you see?

Since Can Tarter is a private residence, its interior isn't open to visitors — the appeal lies in the facade and overall shape of the building, best appreciated from the street. It offers a glimpse of what modest but sturdy mid-20th-century coastal housing looked like in Catalonia: arched openings, Arab-tile roofs, and proportions typical of local masies, features increasingly rare among Premià de Mar's newer developments. A walk through the surrounding streets also reveals other buildings on the town's heritage list.

When to visit?

The best time to come is outside peak summer, ideally spring (April-June) or early autumn (September-October), when Premià de Mar is quieter than in the height of summer and temperatures are comfortable for walking around town. In summer the town gets busy thanks to its beach, so it's worth scheduling a look at the architecture for the morning hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Can Tarter? No — it's a private residence and not open to visitors. The building is viewed from the outside as an example of local architecture.

Why is Can Tarter protected? Due to its architectural and historical value, it is listed as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local (BCIL no. 9100-I) and included in the Catalan Architectural Heritage Inventory.

How far is it from the train station? Walking from Premià de Mar station to Carrer de Montserrat takes about 10-15 minutes through the town center.

What else can you combine with a visit to Can Tarter? A walk past other heritage-listed buildings in Premià de Mar, plus a short stroll down to the beach, which is only a few minutes on foot from the town center.