Centre d'Art La Rectoria

Centre d'Art La Rectoria is a small but atmospheric art centre in Sant Pere de Vilamajor, a Catalan village at the foot of the Montseny mountain range. It occupies a former rectory — a stone farmhouse dating back to 1639 — that has served since the late 1980s as an artist residency and creative workshop space. The place brings together visual arts, traditional crafts and nature, giving artists a quiet retreat away from the city.

How did the centre come to be?

The project was launched by the local parish priest, Josep Poch, who decided to turn the abandoned rectory into a gathering place for artists from around the world. Since its founding in the second half of the 1980s, more than 150 creatives — painters, sculptors, writers and researchers — have passed through Centre d'Art La Rectoria, using the old farmhouse walls as a place to work and exchange ideas.

What is there to see and do?

The centre houses several specialised workshops: a forge, an engraving studio, a ceramics workshop and a painting atelier. These spaces host courses and workshops open to visitors, ranging from drawing and painting to art therapy, iron sculpture and experimental engraving. The centre also runs themed events such as "Japanese Days," dedicated to Japanese art and culture, along with mould-making and Egyptian paste workshops. For casual visitors, the building itself is a draw — a rugged stone former clergy residence set against the green foothills of Montseny.

How to get there?

Centre d'Art La Rectoria sits at Avinguda dels Quatre Camins 1, in the centre of Sant Pere de Vilamajor, in the Vallès Oriental comarca, roughly 40 km north of Barcelona. Driving is the most convenient option — the village sits on local roads connecting it to Cardedeu and Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, with routes continuing toward the Montseny Natural Park. Visitors relying on public transport can take a regional bus to the village centre and walk the remaining stretch to the centre in about fifteen minutes.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit, when intensive courses and themed workshops run and the weather suits walks around the surrounding countryside. In summer the centre offers dedicated holiday courses in drawing, painting and sculpture, making it an appealing choice for travellers looking to combine active leisure with hands-on creativity. It is worth checking the current events schedule on the centre's website beforehand, since the programme changes seasonally.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Centre d'Art La Rectoria without signing up for a workshop? The centre operates primarily as an artist residency and working studio, so casual visits usually happen around open events, exhibitions or booked workshops — it is best to contact the centre by email or phone in advance to check availability.

How old is the building that houses the centre? The stone rectory dates to 1639 and served for centuries as the residence of the parish priests of Sant Pere de Vilamajor before being converted into an art centre in the 1980s.

What artistic disciplines can you explore here? The programme covers painting, drawing, sculpture (including iron forging), experimental engraving, ceramics and art therapy, along with recurring themed workshops centred on the culture of other countries.

How far is it from Barcelona? Sant Pere de Vilamajor lies about 40 km north of Barcelona, in the Vallès Oriental region, making it easy to combine a visit to the centre with a day trip into the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees or the nearby Montseny Natural Park.