Cerdanyola Del Valles: Culture, Architecture and History

Several clearly distinct themes are relevant to a cultural trip to Cerdanyola Del Valles: modernist design, religious buildings from different periods, and archaeological traces. Parc de Collserola, which occupies nearly half of the municipality, is another highlight. When planning your trip, it is worth choosing a theme: would you like to focus on a museum and its design features, historic churches and chapels, or a route through the park? The following places represent different historical and geographical connections.

Modernist Architecture and Museum Highlights

The Museu d’Art de Cerdanyola – Can Domènech is housed in a modernist building designed by architect Gaietà Buïgas. It was originally built as a theatre-casino for summer visitors. The museum’s collection and educational work focus particularly on the heritage of Modernisme, Noucentisme and Art Deco. The building’s history and the museum’s focus offer two different ways to explore it: its former use explains the building’s original function, while the collection and educational work highlight the artistic and cultural themes mentioned above.

In the Sala Modernista of the Museu d’Art de Cerdanyola, parts of the design by Eduard Maria Balcells have been preserved in the hall of the Torre López. These include the original hydraulic floor tiles and the stained-glass windows “Les Dames de Cerdanyola”. The floor and windows represent different elements of the room’s design; they also show a specific connection to the museum’s modernist focus.

Chapels, Archaeological Traces and Historical Dates

The origins of Castell de Sant Marçal, also known as Castell de Cerdanyola, are dated to the first third of the 11th century. The Ermita de Santa Maria de les Feixes represents a different historical layer: it is a Baroque chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and has been documented since the 14th century. At the same time, it stands on the remains of a Roman villa dating from the 1st century AD. These remains were investigated archaeologically inside the chapel during restoration work. The dates refer to different periods: the 14th century relates to the chapel’s documentation, while the 1st century AD is the date assigned to the Roman villa.

The church of Sant Iscle i Santa Victòria de les Feixes also combines several architectural influences. It is a Romanesque religious building dating from the 12th century, located in the Vall de les Feixes in the Serra de Collserola. At the same time, elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architecture can be seen in the church. The building’s Romanesque classification and its other visible stylistic elements describe different aspects of the same structure.

Church and Funerary Art at the Municipal Cemetery

The municipal cemetery includes the old church of Sant Martí, which is characterized by Gothic tradition with Renaissance elements. The historic cemetery grounds also contain graves and mausoleums in the Modernist and Noucentista styles. Two different strands of architectural history therefore stand side by side within the cemetery: the design of the church and the stylistic variety of the graves and mausoleums. Visitors interested in architectural styles can explore the religious building and historic cemetery architecture as separate themes.

Parc de Collserola and Current Visitor Information

Parc de Collserola occupies nearly half of the municipality. The “Un passeig arran de riera” route starts at the Can Coll leisure area on the road from Cerdanyola to Horta, leads to the Can Catà track, and then runs through Parc de la Riera to the information hut. Its description thus identifies the starting area, the intermediate section and the destination. A current access notice applies to parts of Parc de Collserola; check the applicable restrictions before travelling there.

The archaeological site of Ca n’Oliver is temporarily closed due to African swine fever. Check the latest status before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Bellaterra, Cabrera De Mar, Talamanca, Els Prats De Rei, La Garriga, Veciana, Molins De Rei, Monistrol De Calders.

For the main travel overview: Barcelona.