* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia
Throughout history, the Tower of the Palau de Terrassa, in the Vallès Occidental, has had various uses, among them, it housed the town’s prison, although it has also been the seat of the notarial archive, among other things, until today it became today in a monument that can be visited in the city museum.
Actually, the Torre del Palau is the most emblematic building of the city, both for its location in the center of the old town and for its presence on the Terrassa coat of arms since medieval times.
As can be seen in The Photos of the Readers of La Vanguardia, the Torre del Palau is cylindrical, has four floors and a roof with battlements. Initially it measured 24.5 meters, after various reforms over the centuries, it currently stands at 26.70 meters in height.
The tower is supported by the building’s own weight, on thick walls, although in the 90s of the last century a micropiling operation was carried out to secure it.
Access to the tower was through a door with a lintel arch that was located 7 meters from the outside ground, so ropes or wooden ladders were used to enter.
Its initial function was basically defensive. “Between the 12th and 13th centuries, annexed rooms were added, thus beginning the construction of the Castel Palau, a simple fortress that housed the count and from where the territory was organized,” according to the City Council.
