Cubelles

The municipality of Cubelles is located at one end of the Garraf region, as it is the first municipality in it after leaving behind the Baix Penedès region.

In terms of its surroundings, it is a town overlooking the Mediterranean Sea ( Playa Larga, Playa de la Mota de San Pedro, Playa de Las Salinas and Playa de las Gaviotas ), but at the same time, inland, you can breathe in the aromas of the mountains. It should be noted that one of the most attractive areas of this town, par excellence, is the mouth of the Foix River, with its wetlands where native birds can be observed.

The Foix River, on its way, passes through Cubelles, although it is often dry due to the reservoir.

Near the Torrent de Santa Maria is a boundary marker that delimits the boundaries of this municipality and that of Vilanova i la Geltrú. This was a measure commonly undertaken in the 18th century to delimit the territory.

The Castle of the Marquises of Alfarràs is one of Cubelles' most emblematic buildings. It dates back to 1675 and was built on the remains of the old castle. Currently, this building, owned by the Town Council, houses the Tourist Office. In another room of the castle, the permanent exhibition of Clown Charlie Rivel is located, where you can see his costumes, awards, and more. In fact, Josep Andreu Lasserre (Charlie Rivel) was a native of Cubelles, hence its importance. Furthermore, a sculpture of him was inaugurated in 1980 in the Plaza del Mar.

Travé's House is also of particular interest. This is a neoclassical residential building rich in Greco-Roman decorative elements. Its garden, home to various species of exotic vegetation, is particularly noteworthy.

In this municipality, there were also citizens who left for the Americas and who are known today as "Indianos." Notable among them were Pere Escardó, who built the Alianza building in 1914, and Joan Pere i Roig, who brought drinking water to the town and built the public fountains that are still standing today: La Font de la Calle Mayor and the Fuente de la Calle de Sant Antoni.

Urban routes

Taking a stroll through Cubelles, we suggest four urban routes to discover Cubelles and its heritage:

Old Town Route

Circular route that begins at the main gate of Cubelles Castle. Documented since 1041, the castle was built on the site of an ancient Roman villa. Today, the ground floor and the second floor, known as the noble floor, can be visited. The building houses the Permanent Exhibition dedicated to the clown Charlie Rivel and the Municipal Tourist Office.

Nature Route

Once we have finished the route through the historic center, from Cubelles Castle we will head towards the beach area following the Narcís Bardají promenade, the old town promenade that connected the town center with the railway line to Barcelona.

Water Route

The water route begins in Plaça del Castell, home to Cubelles Castle, the Permanent Exhibition dedicated to the clown Charlie Rivel, and the Municipal Tourist Office. Taking Doctor Juncà Street, you'll reach Plaça de la Vila. Between this square and Major Street is the fountain on Major Street, known as the Lion Fountain, where you can read an inscription commemorating the tribute by the people of Cubelles.

Charlie Rivel Route

The Charlie Rivel route allows us to discover several places in the municipality linked to the figure of the Cubelles clown. Josep Andreu, known artistically as Charlie Rivel, was born in Cubelles on April 23, 1896, during a tour with his parents: the Occitan tightrope walker Marie Louise Lasserre and the trapeze artist Pere Andreu, originally from the Barcelona neighborhood of Hostafrancs.

Places of interest

Discover the heritage treasures hidden in Cubelles:

Estapé House

This building was built in 1943 at the initiative of Dr. Francisco Estapé Pañella. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Noucentista architecture from the 1940s. The Estapé House is located at a crossroads connecting the historic center of Cubelles with the new area and the railway station, and thus has a facade on two streets: Narcís Bardají Street and Station Street. It houses a monument to Josep Andreu i Lasserre "Charlie Rivel."

Monument to Pau Casals

Sculpture by Pedro Llorente Benítez dedicated to Pau Casals, dated 1977. Cubelles joined in as part of the events commemorating the first centenary of the maestro's birth.

Artillery bunker

Bunker located at the mouth of the river, designed to house two machine guns. This strategic defensive structure is located on the Mota de Sant Pere beach and features a central body flanked by two machine gun nests. Built with reinforced concrete, its structure gave it a wide radius of action, allowing it to control the entire sector in which it was located.

Currently, it is partially submerged, making it difficult to visit the interior.

Natural area at the mouth of the Foix River

The restoration of the wetlands at the mouth of the Foix River has turned this area into one of the municipality's main attractions. The Foix River—which, since the construction of the reservoir, remains dry for most of the year—is another of the town's emblematic features.

Fort

The Mota de San Pedro fort is a defensive support point in Cubelles, located very close to the former Carabinieri barracks. It was built during the Civil War (1936-1939), around 1937.

Old Castle Hostel

The first reference to the inn dates back to 1537. It was part of the Cubelles Castle and operated as a hostel until the beginning of the 19th century. In 1883, Dr. Estapé, a favorite son of the town, was born. It is currently privately owned.

Can Travé

Can Travé is a building constructed from several pre-existing structures, renovated during the 18th and 19th centuries, and later remodeled in the 20th century by Frederic Travé. He installed a library specializing in classical mythology, a natural sciences studio, and a botanical garden.

Cubelles Castle

Cubelles Castle is documented as dating back to 1041. It was built on the remains of an ancient Roman villa. Over the centuries, various renovations were carried out, the most significant of which took place between 1674 and 1676. This intervention profoundly transformed the original fortification, enlarging it and converting it into a rectangular, three-story civil palace.

Town Hall Building

The Town Hall existed in 1655. A new building was built on the current site in 1792. The current building dates from 1959, with an extension completed in 1982 in the style of the original construction. It currently houses several municipal services of the Cubelles Town Council.

Hermitage of Saint Anthony of Padua

The Hermitage of San Antonio de Padua, dating from 1694, was built by Mariano Gassó. It is an example of popular architecture and a simple conception, far removed from the artistic expressions typical of the period in which it was built.

Church of Santa Maria

The Church of Santa Maria dates from 1737, while the bell tower was built in 1765. A church probably existed before the 13th century, of which no trace remains. The current building has a rectangular floor plan with three naves, divided into sections delimited by the exterior buttresses. The façade imitates a stone edging. Joan Pedro i Roig installed the stained-glass windows, the rose window, and much of the current flooring.

September 11 Memorial

The September 11 Monument, inaugurated in 2002, is a sculpture by Anselm Cabús y Torra entitled "Genius and Brute Force." The work symbolizes how the sentiment of the Catalan people cannot be oppressed, recalling that, on September 11, 1714, force could not subdue the genius or the spirit of the Catalan people.

Gastronomy

Cubelles offers several typical dishes from traditional Catalan cuisine. The sea and the vineyards are key elements of Cubelles cuisine, serving as the basis for a wide variety of dishes that will delight your palate. Typical dishes include burnt garlic, dragée, tuna boil, brothy rice, cod, pig's trotters, rabbit with garlic and pepper, broad beans, and seafood pan, among others.