Casa de Fusta

Casa de Fusta is a wooden house standing on the shore of the Encanyissada lagoon, right in the heart of the Ebro Delta, a short drive from Amposta. From the outside it looks like a modest hunting lodge, but it holds one of the region's most engaging nature centres — and a backstory that starts on the other side of the Atlantic.

Why is there a wooden cabin in the middle of the delta?

The building went up in 1926, commissioned by three wealthy businessmen from Barcelona. Drawn by the sheer number of waterbirds gathering at the Encanyissada lagoon, they formed a hunting society and secured a ten-year concession to shoot there. To house themselves during the season, they had a prefabricated timber building shipped over from Canada — an expensive and unusual undertaking for the time. That's where the name comes from: Casa de Fusta, Catalan for "wooden house," also known locally as Casa dels Senyors, "the gentlemen's house."

The house rests on small concrete pillars that raise it roughly half a metre off the ground, protecting it from the damp of the wetland below. Its four-sided roof of flat, fish-scale-patterned tiles, green-painted timber walls and white-framed windows have since become one of the recognisable images of the Ebro Delta landscape.

How did it survive the war and change purpose?

During the Spanish Civil War the house was occupied by local delta families, which — somewhat paradoxically — is what saved it from demolition or ruin. In 1980 ownership passed to Catalonia's Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, and since 1986 it has been managed by the Ebro Delta Natural Park, which still runs it today as a visitor and interpretation centre.

What will you find inside?

The interior now works as an ornithological museum. It holds a collection of 182 mounted specimens covering 134 bird species typical of the delta's ecosystems — gulls, herons, ducks and other waterfowl among them. A permanent exhibition also explains how the delta's lagoons form and function, showing how shifting water levels and salinity shape life in this unusual wetland environment.

How do you get there, and what pairs well with a visit?

Casa de Fusta sits directly on the Encanyissada lagoon, within the Ebro Delta Natural Park's network of walking and cycling trails. It makes a natural base for birdwatching, with observation platforms and picnic spots nearby. The adjoining L'Estany restaurant serves Mediterranean food with delta views, so a visit can easily be combined with a meal on site.

Bring binoculars — the lagoon draws birds year-round, though spring and autumn are the richest seasons, when migratory routes cross the delta.

Frequently asked questions

What is Casa de Fusta? A wooden hunting lodge built in 1926, now serving as the Ebro Delta Natural Park's interpretation centre and ornithological museum, located on the Encanyissada lagoon.

Why is it made of wood, and where did the timber come from? The prefabricated building was shipped from Canada in 1926 for a Barcelona hunting society that held rights to shoot at the lagoon.

What can you see in the museum? A collection of 182 mounted birds representing 134 species found in the Ebro Delta, plus an exhibition on how the delta's lagoons formed and work.

Is there anywhere to eat nearby? Yes, the L'Estany restaurant next to Casa de Fusta serves Mediterranean dishes with views over the delta.