Casa Gran

Casa Gran is a Renaissance-era house in Fortià, a small municipality in the Alt Empordà region of Girona province, Catalonia. Also known as Casa de la Reina Sibil·la, the building stands as an isolated structure on Carrer de la Reina Sibil·la and is listed as a cultural property of national interest on both the Catalan and Spanish heritage registers. Today it serves as Fortià's town hall.

Who built Casa Gran?

The house was commissioned in the 1620s by Pere Ignasi Ferrer, a nobleman who served as administrator and general governor of the County of Empúries. Construction was completed in 1628. The new residence was built over two older houses that had belonged to the same family, and it was designed to reflect Ferrer's rising social and political status. Fortià itself has much older roots: the village has been linked since the tenth century to the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, one of the region's most important religious centers.

What will you see at Casa Gran?

The main facade is built of ashlar stone, a hallmark of Catalan rural Renaissance architecture. Inscriptions appear on both the door and the windows of the front facade, and a further inscription on the eastern facade references the man who built the house. These inscriptions are what allowed historians to pin down the exact construction date and the identity of the person who commissioned it — a level of documentation that's unusually precise for a rural manor house of this period.

How to get to Fortià

Fortià sits in the interior of Alt Empordà, in a quiet corner of Girona province well away from the crowded Costa Brava coastline. The easiest way in is via Figueres, a short drive away. It's a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring the Figueres and Empordà area who wants to see genuine Catalan rural architecture rather than just the coast.

From manor house to town hall

In 2008, the Municipality of Fortià purchased the building for €871,465.14, with partial funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya. Casa Gran has been municipal property ever since. Restoration works are currently underway to convert part of the building into a cultural center dedicated to Queen Sibil·la — the source of the house's alternative name. That means a visit here combines a historic building with a chance to see a small community actively restoring and repurposing its own heritage.

What else is worth seeing in Fortià?

Casa Gran is considered one of the most striking heritage sites in Fortià, alongside the parish church and other historic buildings in the village. It's easy to pair a visit with a short walk through the village itself — Fortià is small enough to see in an hour or two.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Casa Gran? Since the building functions as the town hall, access to the interior depends on municipal office hours and the ongoing restoration work. It's worth checking with the Fortià municipality before visiting.

Why is Casa Gran also called Casa de la Reina Sibil·la? The name refers to the cultural center dedicated to Queen Sibil·la that's planned for part of the building once restoration work is finished.

How long does it take to visit Fortià and Casa Gran? Given the village's small size, seeing Casa Gran and its immediate surroundings typically takes 30 minutes to an hour.

How far is Fortià from Girona? Fortià is in the Alt Empordà region, closer to Figueres than to Girona city — making it a good side trip from Figueres or an inland detour while touring the Costa Brava.