History & Curiosities
Sitges history and curiosities
From the Neanderthals of the Cova del Gegant to the modernista artists and the “americanos”: articles to understand how Sitges came to be.
Sitges is much more than beaches and festivals. Behind its white streets lie centuries of history: a walled town on the rock of La Punta, generations of fishermen, sailors and winegrowers, emigrants who made their fortune in the Americas and came back to build their houses, and a group of artists who, led by Santiago Rusiñol, turned the town into a landmark of Catalan Modernisme.
This section brings together accessible articles on the history, notable figures, traditions, buildings and curiosities of Sitges. They are based on official and specialist sources (Museus de Sitges, the Town Council, heritage inventories and published research), separate documented facts from tradition, and always end with their sources.
Explore the articles
Churches, palaces, houses and places that tell the town’s story.
6 articles
Historic buildings
The Cau Ferrat and Santiago Rusiñol
From the studio Rusiñol built from two fishermen's houses in 1893–1894 to the museum opened in 1933 and restored in 2010–2014: the Cau Ferrat's story.
Historic buildings
The Palau de Maricel and its construction
From the medieval Hospital of Sant Joan to Charles Deering's home: how Maricel was built between 1910 and 1918, its halls and its uses up to the museum.
Historic buildings
The church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla: history of the church on La Punta
History of Sitges parish church: medieval origins, the Baroque building of 1665-1672, altarpieces, Triay's organ, the bell tower and the losses of 1936.
Historic buildings
The houses of the americanos
Who the americanos of Sitges were, why they built grand houses on returning from Cuba, and which documented examples can be seen in the town centre today.
Historic buildings
The Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista: from medieval hospital to Modernista building
From Bernat de Fonollar's medieval hospital, sold to Deering to build Maricel, to the Modernista building by Font i Gumà that opened in 1912.
Historic buildings
Sant Sebastià cemetery and its artistic heritage
History of Sitges' Sant Sebastià cemetery: blessed in 1814, with Francesc Cros's gateway, tombs by Llimona and Rogent and the artists buried there.
See it for yourself
Museums, monuments and festivals where this history is still on view.
Museum
Museu del Cau Ferrat
Santiago Rusiñol’s house and studio, with his collection of wrought iron, painting and ceramics.
Museum
Museu de Maricel
Art from the Romanesque to the 20th century, in the Maricel complex by the sea.
Monument
Church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla
The Baroque church on La Punta, the best-known image of Sitges.
Tradition
Sitges Festa Major
Giants, folk dances and fireworks in honour of Sant Bartomeu, every August.