Castell de les Espases

Castell de les Espases is a ruined medieval castle in the municipality of Esparreguera, in the Baix Llobregat district of Catalonia, Spain, sitting at the foot of the Montserrat mountain range. Little remains standing today, but the site carries a well-documented history stretching back over a thousand years, closely tied to the fortunes of the nearby Montserrat monastery.

How old is the castle and who built it?

Written records of the castle go back to before the year 985. Count Borrell sold the fortress to his trusted vassal Guillem, of the Gurb-Queralt lineage, at some point before that date. Historians note that in surviving documents les Espases is consistently named ahead of the neighbouring Esparreguera castle, which suggests it may originally have carried more weight than its better-known neighbour.

In September 985, Guillem — who had recently helped defend Barcelona, where his own wife had been taken captive by Almanzor's forces — donated both castles, les Espases and Esparreguera, to the diocese of Vic. After Guillem died in 993, Bishop Arnulf and his chapter traded the two castles to Sendred de Gurb in exchange for land at Sant Boi de Lluçanès.

How did Montserrat monastery come to own it?

The Gurb-Queralt family held lordship over les Espases and Esparreguera until the close of the 12th century, when rights passed to the House of Cardona, administered locally first by the feudal lord Ramon de Guàrdia and later by his son, Guillem de Claramunt.

The turning point came in 1351, when the prior of Montserrat abbey, Jaume de Vivers, purchased both castles — Esparreguera and les Espases — from Ramon de Tous, along with their pastures, woodlands, rights, properties, houses and vassals. From that point on, the priors of Montserrat remained feudal lords of Esparreguera until 1835, when Mendizábal's ecclesiastical confiscation abolished such church privileges across Spain.

What can visitors actually see today?

Only scant remains of the castle survive. The complex was laid out in the shape of a capital T: the long arm held the chapel and a cistern, while the crossbar contained a central hall, a dining room to one side and a kitchen to the other, with an additional chamber below it. It's a modest but legible trace of the kind of fortified residence typical of early medieval Catalan castles.

The ruins sit within the rugged landscape of Baix Llobregat, right beside the Montserrat massif — one of Catalonia's most recognisable landmarks, famed for its needle-like rock formations and its Benedictine monastery.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Castell de les Espases located? In the municipality of Esparreguera, Baix Llobregat, at the foot of the Montserrat range in Catalonia.

How old is the castle? The earliest written mentions predate the year 985, giving it a documented history of well over a thousand years.

Who owned the castle over the centuries? In order: the Gurb-Queralt family, the diocese of Vic, the Gurb-Queralt again, the House of Cardona, and from 1351 until 1835, the priors of Montserrat monastery.

Are there substantial ruins to see? No — very little survives. Visitors can make out the T-shaped floor plan, with traces of the former chapel, cistern, hall, dining room and kitchen.

Is it worth combining a visit with a trip to Montserrat? Yes, the castle's proximity to the Montserrat massif makes it a natural stop to pair with a hike or visit to the monastery and mountain.