The Guardian of the Port

The Old Fortress of Salou (Fortalesa Vella) is one of the most distinctive testimonies of the municipality’s historical past. Built during the second quarter of the 17th century at a strategic point along the coast, this fortification made it possible to monitor the arrival of ships and control the landing of goods and people at a key location on the Catalan shoreline.

During the Reapers’ War (Guerra dels Segadors), the fortress played a prominent role in the military events of the period. In December 1640, it was attacked by Castilian troops and, after an intense siege involving artillery and cavalry, the Catalan-French defenders were forced to surrender. The surviving defenders were sent to the galleys, and the governor of the fort, Francesc de Giminells, was hanged.

Just a few months later, on 5 May 1641, French troops recaptured the fortress, once again turning it into a strategic stronghold for maritime control and the naval blockade of Tarragona.

Its privileged position ensured that it remained a defensive enclave of great importance until 1649, when its destruction was ordered to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

Despite the physical disappearance of the fortress, its memory has endured over the centuries. Several 18th-century military maps still marked its location under the name “Fortalesa Vella,” and there were even plans to build a new castle on its remains—although this project appears never to have been carried out.

Today, the Old Fortress forms part of Salou’s historical heritage and invites us to discover a lesser-known facet of the town: that of a territory with a fundamental strategic role in the modern history of Catalonia. Recovering its memory also helps to highlight the cultural and historical richness of Salou’s coastline, beyond its beaches and scenic appeal.

Further reading:

Güell, Manel. “L’assalt a Vila-seca i al port de Salou durant la guerra dels Segadors (desembre de 1640).” El Pont de Fusta, Vila-seca, no. 253 (2001), pp. 22–23.

Otiña Hermoso, Pedro. “Pedro Calderón de la Barca i l’assalt de Vila-seca i fortí de Salou del 1640.” El Pont de Fusta, no. 395 (2014), p. 21.

Otiña Hermoso, Pedro. “La defensa del port de Salou (segles XIV–XVIII).” In L’obra pública i els seus professionals (s. XVIII–XX). Biografies, projectes, impacte modernitzador (2019), pp. 475–499.

Otiña Hermoso, Pedro. “Pirates i corsaris al Cap de Salou: com si estiguessin en lo moll d’Alger.” Cultura i Paisatge a la ruta del Cister, no. 11 (2018), pp. 50–57.
Otiña Hermoso, Pedro. Pirates i corsaris. Els atacs contra Vila-seca i la costa del Camp de Tarragona. Agrupació Cultural de Vila-seca, 2016.