A centuries-old castle with a vision for the future
Welcome to Castell Tersol. This is the website that we have created to advertise the castle of Castellterçol, the activities promoted there, the choice of rural tourism for you to enjoy with family or friends, and the activities promoted by the association Els Amics del Castell Terçol (Friends of Castell Terçol) and the Josep M. de Anzizu Foundation, which is the organisation that owns the castle.
The municipality and centre of Castellterçol offer a range of opportunities to enjoy its unique natural environment: short or long walking trails; discovery of ice wells scattered across the landscape of the municipality, guided tours of the castle and a whole range of cultural and leisure activities. All this in the midst of an intense schedule of recreational and festive activities in Castellterçol and neighbouring towns.
Come and discover Castell Tersol!
A unique environment, a unique landscape
The castle of Castellterçol is located on the outskirts of the village, to the south east. It is located at 725 metres above sea level, on a hill which, although not one of the high points of the village, is appropriate for defending it.
In the middle of a forest, in a calm and picturesque location, it is within walking distance from the centre of the town of Castellterçol (10 minutes). It is ideal for walking, relaxing and enjoying nature.
If you wish to visit the Castellterçol and enjoy its surroundings, you can find us at:
Castell de Castellterçol
Camí del castell, s/n
08183 Castellterçol
Google Maps
Accommodation in Castell-Tersol
If you’d like to stay in Castell-Tersol, enjoy the unrivalled natural environment and discover the ancient remains of the castle, you can organise it from the following link:
Guided Tours at the Castle
If you would like to come to visit the castle or you would like to receive more information about the accommodation, fill in the following form and we will contact you.
Every year, Castellterçol Castle can be visited on the last Sunday in February: open day all morning; the last Saturday in July: guided tour before the Concert, at around 9pm; and the second Sunday in October: tour at 11:30am, after the Aplec del Remei Mass.
Activities in Castell-Terçol
The concerts
Since 1992, every summer we have a date with music in the Castell-Tersol. The oakwood of the entrance of the castle becomes an ideal place to host a night of music of the highest order. In the castle of Castellterçol various creations from different musical styles have been heard: from jazz and gospel to folk and even classical music.
Some of the groups with whom we’ve been able to enjoy an amazing night are: The Youth Orchestra of the Municipal School of Caldes de Montbui; the soprano Montserrat Mathieu, with Alfons Miró on the piano; the saxophone quartet Bats; New Orleans Blue Strompers; Bicat; El Pont d’Arcalís; or the Big Band of the Music School of Sant Andreu, with Joan Chamorro on the double bass and Andrea Motis on the saxophone.
The concert in the castle wood is usually held on the last Saturday in July (the castle can be visited beforehand).
The Aplec del Remei
The chapel of the Castell-Tersol, dedicated to Saint Michael, was already mentioned in the will of Tedmar Mir, in the year 1111. Also, during the 19th century the images of the Virgin del Carmen and the Virgin of Los Remedios appeared in the chapel. This is important because in more recent times the chapel will come to be known as the Chapel of Remei.The Aplec del Remei is currently celebrated on the second Sunday of October; during the course of the day a Holy Communion and a traditional virolla is celebrated, a game in which the children and elderly bet on a number and the winner gets a cake. Guided tours of the castle and the museum also take place on this day. Both the inside of the chapel and the environment surrounding it are spaces where small-scale celebrations and ceremonies can take place, as well as concerts.
School activities
One of the objectives of the Josep M. de Anzizu Foundation, the owner of the Castell-Tersol, is to share information about the castle and its history. To achieve this goal, they have created two publications for the boys and girls of the town, which bear the name of two people closely linked to the castleand who were always very conscious of the fact that they had to take care of it, study its history and open it to the people: the Isidre Clapers Memorial and the Àngels Furest Memorial.
Isidre Clapers memorial
Aimed at students in the upper primary school, it’s purpose is for making a piece of art. On the one hand, it allows the students to visit the castle and its surroundings, and to learn about its history, and on the other hand, to discover the figure and works of Isidre Clapers, founder of the Friends of the Castell Terçol and supporter of the cultural events that began in the 1990s. The pieces of art can be drawings, paintings or collages and made with any technique. The central theme is the castle and its surroundings, and it can represent what we see today or imagine some of the moments in its history. The pieces of art are exhibited during the day of the Castle Gathering, on the second Sunday of October.
Àngels Furest memorial
Aimed at students in the third year of secondary school, the objective is that the students return to castle with a different point of view, pondering, following their curiosity. It is also so that they know that the person whose name is given to the memorial, Àngels Furest, spent a lot of time at the castle, she liked history and she loved this place very much. She insisted that someone in her family buy the castle, to take care of it and manage it, but she was always aware that the castle was heritage of the town of Castellterçol. The students, accompanied by a professional, will take part in a photography workshop. The result of their work will be published each year in the form of a book.
The Origins of Castell-Tersol
From the remains of the castle, the moat, a part of the defence walls, with their arrow loops (probably from the 13th and 14th centuries) and the remains of the old lord’s residences, dating from the 12th century, are preserved. After the first reference to a so-called Terçol as lord of the castle, the next owners were called Xetmar or Xammar in the 11th century. It is known that the first Xetmar was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land having made a will, in which he asked (1111) that it would be lit up and that the church built in honour of Sant Miquel near the castle be consecrated. Xetmar always had a special inclination for helping the monastery of Santa Maria de l’Estany, and thus, Ramon de Xetmar sold the property of the castle to them, which at that time stretched from La Fàbrega to Les Pujades and Sant Julià d’Úixols.
In the 16th century, construction began on a house on the south side of the enclosure, using part of the walls and the previous buildings. The highest construction actually dates from the 19th century and it appears that its base was from an earlier tower. Technical studies indicate the possible existence of two towers. From the 16th century onwards, the property of the castle passed through the hands of different families, such as the Guàrdias, the Tosts, the Mareschs and, most recently, the Barraquers, the Ollers and the Anzizus. With the support of the Government of Catalonia, the Castellterçol Council and the local group Amics del Castell Terçol (Friends of the Castell Terçol), the current owners started in 1990 the task of consolidating the historical parts of the premises and designating them for cultural activities open to the public, respecting the private use of the residences. During the 1990s, different archaeological excavation works were carried out on the area of the main tower.
Spaces within the grounds
The castle
From the old Castell-Terçol, documented since the 9th century, the moat, a part of the defence walls, with their arrow loops (probably from the 13th and 14th centuries) and the remains of the old lord’s residences, dating from the 12th century, are preserved.
The country house
It is a building of the 16th century and is located within the grounds of the castle. The current “masoveria” (farmhouse) has been adapted and has progressively abandoned traditional agricultural and livestock activity to become an area for taking care of rural tourism and of the garden centres of the castle.
Rural tourism
To enjoy a unique natural environment, with family or friends, you can come to stay at the castle of Castellterçol. Surrounded by medieval architectural remains of the old castle, you will discover the identity of this town of around two thousand five hundred inhabitants, where you can find activities for nature lovers and fans of sports, cultural and recreational activities.
More information and booking:
The garden centres
The old farmlands of the Castell-Tersol, intended for agricultural and livestock activities on the farm, have been converted into a garden centre, managed by the Anzizu-Roberts family with the Carbonés family and Sabaté brothers. Several species of shrubs are grown in these garden centres.
The chapel of Saint Michael, also known as the chapel of the Virgin of Remei
The chapel of the castle is mentioned in the will of Tedmar Mir, in the year 1111, where it states: “[…] He decided and requested that whosoever has said castle put lighting and that there is singing in the church of Saint Michael located in the castle and that it is consecrated […]”. It would appear that Tedmar erected the church and we do not know if there had been another before it.
The history of the chapel is very well documented (see the book Castellterçol, història de la vila i el seu terme (Castellterçol, history of the town and its border, in English) by Antoni Pladevall: We know that during the 19th century the images of the Virgin del Carmen and the Virgin of Remei appeared in the chapel. This is important because in more recent times the chapel will come to be known as the Chapel of Remei. Currently the Aplec del Remei (Gathering of Remei) takes place on the second Sunday of October.
The chapel is located on the south side of the castle and, although modified, the Romanesque structure from the beginning of the 12th century is preserved, eastern facing and with a late entry door to the west. Both the inside of the chapel and the environment surrounding it are spaces where small-scale celebrations and ceremonies can take place, as well as concerts.
From 2014 until 2017 the Foundation Josep Maria de Anzizu was working on the restoration of the hermitage of Saint Michael, with the objective of restoring the building and its surroundings, in order to revive one of the heritage elements of the castle of Castellterçol. In 2013, the owners donated the castle and its adjoining monuments to the Josep Maria de Anzizu Foundation, an organisation which aims mainly to safeguard everything related to the castle of Castellterçol, the town of Castellterçol and its environment.
With the restoration, as well as saving and preserving the hermitage of the castle, we are also recovering the area around it, an ideal space for celebrating cultural, religious, social and leisure activities, for individuals and organisations who wish to do so.
The necessary funding was secured through a crowdfunding campaign in order to carry out the restoration works on the hermitage of the castle. The Josep Maria de Anzizu Foundation is grateful to the people, companies and organisations who contributed with their donations to the restoration of the hermitage of the castle.
The Origin of the Name Castellterçol
The name Castellterçol has been found written in different ways, in documents that discuss the term, the castle or the parish of Sant Fruitós, as reflected in the book Castellterçol, història de la vila i el seu terme (Castellterçol, history of the town and its border, in English) by Antoni Pladevall: Castro Terciol (898), Chastrum Terciolo (997), Kastrum Terceol (1072), Kastro Terciolo (1083), Castrotercioli (1114), Castellterciol (1130) y Castroterciolo (1235).
According to the linguist Joan Coromines, in Latin Tertiolus is a diminutive of tertius, an affectionate way of referring to one’s third child. Therefore, we can say that the deceased named in the first document where this name first appeared was probably a third son, Terciolo, who had built the castle and given it his name. Interestingly, from terciolus is where three suns comes from, which are found on the coat of arms of the municipality of Castellterçol.
Legends and stories
The Legend of Castellterçol
In the 12th century, the lord of the castle governed over all the land what is now the town of Castellterçol and of all the men and women who lived there. It is said that he had a very violent character and punished criminals to hanging in a place which is still today known as the Pla de les Forques, a mountain which rises high above the town and a good part of the territory of El Moianès. It seems that during the sunsets, the spectacle of the hangings could be seen by the entire region and also at night, as they were smothered in resin and set on fire. This helped people to “behave themselves” …
This place, at the same time, was a place where witches met at a time when it seems there were many of them and they were everywhere. These witches were impossible to catch or attack because they are said to have disappeared.
(Sources: La vila de Castellterçol, Jaume Carrera, Editorial Bosch, 1948; Llegendes dels castells del Vallès Oriental, Glòria Campoy and others, Editorial Marge Books, 2006.)
The Tower of the Castle
Many people notice the tower of the castle, which can be seen from the town or from the surrounding mountains, and we could call it “modern”, without linking it with any architectural type. This has puzzled many people and has even made some think that the castle’s structures are of no architectural or historical interest, which is incorrect. This tower is a high and narrow building built using bricks. During the 19th century, when the castle was owned by the Guàrdia family (or according to some, the Maresch family from El Tint), it is said that it was built because the owners of the castle wanted to see the town of Moià. In the book Els castells catalans (Catalan Castles, in English), it states, referring to this building-: “In the last century [19th century], the then owner of the castle had the unfortunate idea of building a tall, thin tower inside the castle, they say it was to see if Moià could be seen from there.”. In reality, the real “tower” of the castle is the one which was excavated several years ago with the help of the Government of Catalonia and the Castellterçol Council, and which is located inside the walled enclosure.
From what would have been an important domus in the Middle Ages, there only remains ruins and part of one of the walls. It is thought that it exceeded the height of the remaining part, which was consolidated a few years ago. In any case, according to the architects and archaeologists who have worked on this issue, the “modern” tower has a very important foundation which indicated that maybe there, in its time, there was a second, higher lookout tower to, at least, communicate with those from other places in the surrounding area.
Whichever way it is, the “modern” tower of the castle has become a part of the buildings and also the landscape, and any modification is subject to the very restrictive regulations on monuments of historical interest, as is the case with the castle of Castellterçol. The current state of the tower requires conservation and improvement works which are currently in the study phase.
The Josep M. de Anzizu Foundation
The Josep M. de Anzizu Foundation is a non-profit organisation whose main objective is to devote its resources to promoting activities related to training, culture and social development in any field related to the castle of Castellterçol, the population and its surroundings.
The foundation organises and participates in cultural awareness activities in general (publications, training seminars, etc.), as well as maintenance and publicity of the castle of Castellterçol and its environment (exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, conferences, etc.).
Amics del Castell Terçol Association
When the Anzizu-Roberts family bought the castle, they immediately received the backing of a group of people from the village, who support the restoration project and, above all, are doing everything they can to help residents find out about the castle and feel that it is an important monument in Castellterçol. Isidre Clapers and Domènec Miró, with the advice of the priest, Antoni Pladevall, were the driving force behind the Association of Friends of the Castle, which has a group of members, organises cultural outings and helps with some of the activities carried out.