The ancient urban area
Major, Ciutadans street and Catalunya's Square
The
ancient urban area of Pineda de Mar -known as la "Pobla de Sa Buada"-
began to take shape as from the XII century beside the royal way, near
the church, made up of a small group of houses located in the present
sites of Major, Ciutadans, Sant Antoni streets and Catalunya square.
In this way, some 30 lined up houses formed one street only, on both
sides of the ancient roman road.
At
the end of the XV century, when the civil war between the supporters
of Joan II and those of the Generalitat (Catalonia's self-government
institution) had ended, and once the harsh landlord's levies upon farmers
were eased, population begins to increase and the embryonic urban settlement
of "Sa Buada" -that already begins to be known as Pineda-
starts to expand and grow as well as experiencing a remarkable change
in its structure and appearance.
It's at that time when the path to the Sea was open, providing a link
with the coast,and by the means of which wheat supplies and even livestock
arrived. In a document from 1497, signed in the “Can Coll” notary,
the lords of Montpalau grant permission to use the new way, permission
limited to the inhabitants of Pineda, Sant Pere de Riu, Vallmanya and
Horsavinyà.
During
the course of the XVI century, while construction of the new parish
temple was in progress, new houses are built and others are altered
following the late new gothic style at the time. That building boost
has left significant evidence in several façades in the streets
of the ancient urban area.
In
those streets we can still see notable round-headed portals with wedge-shaped
stones (voussoir) and nice large windowswith gothic stone jambs. We can
also highlight the stylish crowns that decorate some façades,
preserved and re-used from earlier constructions. A special attention
should be paid to the late gothic large window of “Ca l'Enric Benet”,
located in number one of Major Street, and also to the mansion in number
28 of Ciutadans Street, carefully restored.