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There was a time when Terrassa, in Vallès Occidental, had a castle, a palace, of which today only a vestige remains, which we see portrayed in La Vanguardia’s Readers’ Photos.
This is the Torre del Palau, the only thing that remains of that castle-palace of Terrassa, which, in its heyday, extended its domain from the Llobregat to the Ripoll river and from Sant Cugat del Vallès to the Pla de Bages.
This master tower, which was a prison until well into the 19th century, was the only structure left standing when in 1891 the last owner of the castle decided to demolish what remained of the building.
Documented for the first time in 1016, the tower was transferred to the municipality in 1994 and is currently one of the sections of the Museum of Terrassa and guided tours are organized.
As can be seen in the image, the Palau Tower is cylindrical, has four floors and a roof with battlements. Initially it measured 24.5 meters, but, after several renovations over the centuries, it is currently 26.70 meters high.
It is supported by the own weight of the building, on wide walls. Although, in the 90s of the 20th century, micropiloting was carried out to ensure its support.
Access to the tower, in the 12th century, was through a door with a semicircular lintel arch located 7 meters from the ground, so ropes or wooden ladders were used to enter. Its function was basically defensive.
