Torre de Santa Margarida

Torre de Santa Margarida is the largely ruined remnant of a former Cistercian monastery church, standing in Santa Creu d'Olorda, within the city of Barcelona (Barcelonès county), inside Collserola Natural Park. Despite its name, the site isn't a defensive tower at all — it's what's left of a small monastic church later converted into a rural farmhouse.

What is the story behind this place?

The building is tied to the former monastery of Santa Maria de Valldonzella, first documented in the 12th century, with a chapel on the site recorded as early as 1175. A small community of Cistercian nuns lived here for a time. By the mid-13th century the monastery had been abandoned and its holdings passed to another house of the Cistercian order, marking the start of a long shift away from religious use.

What does the old monastery church look like?

What survives is a plain, austere rectangular structure closed off by a flat wall rather than the curved apse typical of churches from that era. Inside, one section is covered by a barrel vault, while the rest has a flat timber ceiling resting on diaphragm arches. The side walls were reworked during the 17th and 18th centuries, by which point the building already served a very different purpose than the one it was built for.

How did a monastery turn into a farmhouse?

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the former church was converted into a masia — the traditional Catalan farmhouse that combined living quarters with agricultural work. A wine press operated on the site during this period, confirming that the land kept being farmed for centuries after the monks and nuns had long gone.

What condition is the site in today?

Torre de Santa Margarida is now one part of a wider cluster of buildings, most of which lie in ruins, including the remains of the old monastery church described above. Its state of conservation is considered poor enough to call for urgent restoration work. The site sits along the Camí de la Riera de la Salut, one of the paths running through Collserola Natural Park.

How do you get there, and what else is nearby?

Collserola Natural Park rises directly above Barcelona and is a favourite spot for locals out walking or cycling. The ruins at Torre de Santa Margarida lie within the stretch of the park belonging to the Santa Creu d'Olorda area, surrounded by the typical Collserola mix of Mediterranean woodland and old farmland. Given the terrain, it's worth timing a visit for the dry season, when the paths are easiest to walk and views over the surrounding hills are clearest. Pairing the ruins with a longer walk along the park's trail network is a good way to also take in other historic sites scattered across Collserola.

Frequently asked questions

Is Torre de Santa Margarida an actual tower? No — despite the name, it's the ruined remains of a former monastery church, not a defensive tower.

What is the Valldonzella connection? The site is linked to the former Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria de Valldonzella, first documented in 1175.

When did the building stop being used for religious purposes? The monastic community left by the mid-13th century; from the 17th–18th centuries onward the building operated as a masia with its own wine press.

Where exactly are the ruins located? Inside Collserola Natural Park, along the Camí de la Riera de la Salut, in the Santa Creu d'Olorda area of Barcelona.