MILITARY ROUTE

The viscountcy of Cabrera articulated itself through a network of castles and fortified houses, which were the seats of politic and military power for the nobility in the Middle Ages. This defensive system was supplemented with a number of walled-in villages and watchtowers.

This watchtower, first documented in 1382, was part of a medieval fortification – now lost except for this surviving structure – built to defend the newly established settlement of Vilanova de Palafolls.
The visible remains today mostly correspond to a more modern construction built atop the ruins of the original medieval tower. Its masonry consists of medium-sized, roughly hewn stone mixed with fragments of brick and lime mortar. A brick extension with loopholes was added during the Spanish Civil War.
This tower formed part of a fortified line stretching from the Tordera River – beginning with the Castle of Sant Joan in Blanes – through the tower of Can Toni Joan, and continuing roughly to Calella, passing through Santa Susanna and Pineda. Over the centuries, it has witnessed numerous episodes and military conflicts.
In the 17th century, it was used as a coastal battery to defend against pirate incursions, and in 1796 it was severely damaged by an attack from the French navy. During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), it served as a machine gun nest for the Republican army. Today, the terraces where these defensive weapons were positioned can still be seen.