Merola’s tower
Puig-reig 2016-2019
Recovery of Merola’s Tower. Built work
- Architect: Carles Enrich Studio
- Collaborators: Brufau Cusó (executive supervision), MASAad (structures)
- Client: Servei de Patrimoni Arquitectònic Local (Diputació de Barcelona) and Puig-reig Town Council
- Contractors: Rècop, Tallfusta (timber structure)
- Surface area: 80 sqm
- Photographs: Adrià Goula
In the south of the municipality of Puig-reig stand the remains of the heritage site of the castle of Merola, dating from the late thirteenth century. Due to the documented earth tremors that shook Catalonia in the 1500s, only one of the faces of the watchtower is still standing. The high risk of collapse, with the subsequent loss of the monument, called for an intervention to guarantee the preservation of the remains and recover the building for the village and as an attraction for visitors.
Two basic lines of intervention were adopted to meet these aims: the consolidation of the surviving remains and the reinforcement of the medieval structure. Reinforcement takes the form of a timber structure comprising 14-cm square sections that accompanies the original layout of the stone wall. Like scaffolding, it structurally supports the pre-existing construction, recovers the original volume and restores its function in the territory as a lookout point. The insertion of a stairway inside the structure provides access to the three original levels of circulation and facilitates future maintenance of the monument.
