Parets Del Vallès: Culture and Routes

Culture and routes offer two distinct ways to plan a stay in Parets Del Vallès. The buildings showcase different eras and works of art, while the routes can be assessed by their paths, destinations and landscapes. The places range from a church with a Romanesque apse to a former factory façade, and from a riverside loop to paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

Buildings, Art and History

The Torre d’en Malla is indirectly documented from 904: it appears in records relating to the consecration of the church of Sant Esteve. The church itself is also first documented in 904. Its construction history also includes a 13th-century Romanesque apse. The Torre d’en Malla combines defensive and representative features. This manor house consists of a main structure with a ground floor and two upper floors, flanked by two square towers.

Inside Sant Esteve are an altarpiece and a Pietà by sculptor Frederic Marès. Together with the Romanesque apse, these details give the church a distinctive artistic and architectural character. The early mention of Sant Esteve and the Torre’s indirect documentation in the same year refer to two distinct historical connections.

The Mural de la Tipel also brings together art and industrial history. Eduard Arranz-Bravo and Rafael Bartolozzi created it in the late 1960s on the façade of the former Tipel factory. Its location and date of creation distinguish this work from the older buildings and religious artworks.

The Masía de Can Jornet is a farmhouse with a basilica-shaped floor plan, documented since 1865. In 2003, it was renovated as a municipal facility for cultural and leisure activities. It houses a historical documentation centre for Gallecs and facilities belonging to the Escola de la Natura; programmes may vary. At Can Jornet, the building type and history are therefore as significant as its later cultural and leisure uses.

Another cultural attraction is the Pessebre Monumental de Parets Del Vallès. It currently covers about 230 m² and presents different scenes each year. Its approximate area and changing annual scenes are its defining features.

Routes and Landscapes

Gallecs has an extensive network of paths for pedestrians and cyclists. These include the Camí de Gallecs, the Camí de la Torre d’en Malla, the Camí dels Bandolers, the GR-97-3 Gallecs and the Eix Bicicleta. Gallecs is a 740-hectare protected natural area; its rural landscape combines farmland, forests, paths and wetlands. These details provide a distinct landscape context for the named routes without suggesting that their paths are all the same.

The destinations and routes of two itineraries are described in more detail. The Itinerari Camí de Can Serra connects the Mirador de Gallecs with the centre of Parets Del Vallès and passes through the Can Serra biological corridor. The Itinerari Parc Fluvial del Tenes, by contrast, is an easy, accessible circular route that follows the course of the Tenes River through Parets Del Vallès. Check route conditions and accessibility before setting out.

Parc de la Linera is located on the site of the former La Linera textile factory. Its facilities include children's play areas, a zip line and picnic tables. As these facilities may be subject to maintenance or changes, check their condition before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Sitges, Vilassar De Mar, Monistrol De Calders, La Torre De Claramunt, Castellví De La Marca, Sant Pere De Vilamajor, Castellar Del Riu, Sant Agustí De Lluçanès

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