Merola  Tower

Can Feliu de Merola Area

The great country house of Merola, a remarkable example of the civil architecture of the XV century, the origin of which goes back to the X century, seems irremediably condemned to a definitive demise.

Despite this, from what's left we can figure out its imposing appearance, with a circular defence tower and several architectonic elements from the XII century or even earlier. Some remnants of the chapel devoted to Santa Anna (St. Anne), from the XVII century or later, have also been preserved, the reason why, the house was known as Santa Anna de Merola (St. Anne of Merola).
It belonged to the Montpalau castle medieval domus (household), and its denomination, derived from “amindola¨ or “amigdola”, is on record as early as 984 and 1109. Their owners, knights bearing the name of “Merola”, are cited in several documents as from the XII century. During the course of the XIII y XIV century, they were related to the viscounts of Cabrera. Subsequently they were connubialwith the Montrodon family, from the Osona region, and later with the Vilana family, although during the XVI century, they kept using the name of lords of “Merola” o “Menola”.

According to architect Bonet i Garí, the built area of the ground floor has 241 m2, plus the chapel and the cellar. A courtyard surrounded by a wall joined the buildings. The gothic elements preserved, according to the same author, are from the XIII century, but most of the construction is from the XV century, with subsequent reforms and additions.