Guardiola de Berguedà

Guardiola de Berguedà is a municipality located in the northern part of the Berguedà region. It is bathed by the confluence of the Bastareny and Llobregat rivers and is made up of a series of territories and ancient parishes.

In fact, there is evidence of Guardiola de Berguedà in documents from the 9th and 10th centuries, where the parishes of Brocà, Gavarrós, Gréixer and Cerdanyola are mentioned, and there is even evidence of the existence of Guardiola Castle and the monastery of Sant Llorenç prop Bagà. Initially, the castle was a simple watchtower that grew until it became an area with houses, a church and a wall. In addition, its strategic importance in the area was confirmed by its location, in the narrow Collet gorge. Thus, it was the gateway to the road in the Brocà valley. As for the monastery of Sant Llorenç prop Bagà, it also had great importance in the area, but in the 14th and 15th centuries the crisis and earthquakes gradually demolished the monastic buildings, which contributed to the disappearance of the abbey and it became a priory dependent on the monastery of Sant Pau del Camp.

Despite this, we must say that Guardiola de Berguedà was an eminently rural town until the 18th century, when the area was industrialised and old mills and a forge for iron construction were reopened. In fact, in the 19th century an industrial colony was opened within the municipality of Guardiola de Berguedà, the well-known Pujol i Tomàs industrial colony. However, the area was also home to a number of mines that would serve to link the area with Barcelona and also with the Clot del Moro station.

Even so, Guardiola de Berguedà became an industrial, mining and, above all, commercial municipality, which was forced to reconvert itself, from the mid-20th century, into a centre for natural and historical tourism.

Places of Interest

Monastery of Sant Llorenç near Bagà

This former Benedictine monastery was a spiritual and economic centre until the 14th and 15th centuries, when the crisis and several earthquakes caused its decline. However, its ruins offer a fascinating window into the medieval history of Berguedà, with architectural elements that reflect its past importance.

Guardiola Castle

Initially built as a watchtower, the castle was later expanded to become a fortified enclosure with houses and a church. Its strategic position in the Collet gorge was key to controlling access to the royal road to the Brocà valley. Today, remains of the walls can still be seen and there are impressive panoramic views.

Pujol and Tomàs industrial colony

A testament to the industrial expansion of the 19th century, this colony was essential to the economic development of the area. It preserves the factory structures and workers' housing that explain the collective effort of the working families who lived there.

French oil mine (Riutort)

A historical and geological curiosity, this mine was exploited to extract oil in the 19th century. Even today, you can see how the oil flows naturally, turning the space into a unique corner that connects with the industrial past of the area.

Historic churches and chapels

The municipality has various religious buildings of high heritage value, such as San Martín de Brocà, San Andrés de Gréixer, San Genís de Gavarrós and the chapel of Santa Eulalia de Cal Vilella. Each of these churches scattered throughout the territory is an architectural jewel that tells the spiritual story of the area.