The Torre Salvana is an abandoned castle which was built in the 10th century in Santa Coloma de Cervelló (about 20 km south-west of Barcelona; a 20 minutes train ride from Pl. Espanya). The place has been completely neglected and all that’s left is ruins. It seems surprising that this unique medieval building has been left to rot.
No one is looking after the construction and the main entrance gate is shut. However, the castle can easily be accessed through a hole in the wall that surrounds it.
The castle first caught my attention because it is said to be haunted. Locals call the place ‘el castillo del infierno’ (the castle of hell). I am not sure though where the name comes from. Nevertheless, most people who visit the castle are curious mystery fans and all kinds of paranormal sensations have been reported by its visitors. This was reason enough for me to go and check the place out for myself.
My investigations on the castle’s history were not really enlightening. I couldn’t find any horrifying stories or past events related to the place…
The construction was first reported in 992 when Lord Ramón Borrel I Ermengol sold it to Ènnec Bonfill, Lord of the Masquefa castle. During its heyday the castle was inhabited by different illustrious families. In 1715, during the war between Jaime I and Joan II, the building was severely damaged and, consequently, abandoned.
Personally, I did not experience any paranormal activities myself during the visit. The only creepy thing was the fact that there was a bunch of animal bones lying around in the small forest that surrounds the castle. Besides, the place is very quiet. It seemed that there was no one else anywhere near. The only noise I could hear was the call and flapping of a raven who apparently is the only living inhabitant left within these walls…
…The Salvana castle is only a couple of minutes’ walk from the Colonia Güell where you can see Gaudi’s famous crypt, which is one of his early works and shows his first architectural innovations, like the decorative broken mosaic tiling. The Colonia Güell originally was created to give place to a textile mill and was kind of a small industrial village with amenities which would improve the workers’ quality of life: terraced houses, shops, a theater, gardens, and a church. The mill closed in 1973 due to a crisis in the textile industry. The church, which is known as ‘the crypt’, has been designated a Unesco World Heritage
