Can Mario Triangle

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Can Mario was a Cork factory from the beginning of the XXth century owned by the Cork Company Miquel, Vincke & Meyer. The cork factory was founded in 1900 and it was one of the most important factories of the Spanish industrial sector.

The space left by the old cork factory is nowadays a cultural site located at Can Mario square: The Catalan Modernism-Style water tank, the Cork Museum building and Vila Casas Foundation (contemporary sculpture).

The visit of this cultural triangle can begin at the Cork Museum located in a building that has modernism decoration at its principal façade. This part of the building was designed by the architect General Guitart i Lostalo with a fantastic forging work with the steal door of Pi i Margall Street. The Cork Museum is an institution dedicated to the interpretation and diffusion of the cork heritage and of the territory linked to the Catalan cork world.

You can visit the permanent exhibition and the temporary ones that they host all year long. You can consult all their cultural offer at their website or calling to 0034 972 307 825

 

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Once the Cork Museum visit is finished you can go outside, at Can Mario square, to the Catalan Modernism-Style water tank (Can Mario tower), just in the centre of the square. Under the water tank you have a water interpretation centre, from where you can climb up to the tower. It’s an exceptional construction at the cork world and unique in Catalonia, by Juan Torres architect studio of Barcelona. The tower has lots of modernist art elements. It’s 114,83 feet tall and has 182 steps. Once you are on the top, you can appreciate a wonderful panoramic view of Palafrugell and surroundings. For more information: 0034 972 307 825

The visit to the tower it takes about 40 minutes.

 

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Around the tower there is Can Mario garden. This garden has a permanent exhibition of 33 sculptures of different artist of our region (Empordà). This Garden is part of Fundació Vila Casas – Museu Can Mario (the museum located right behind the garden). It was opened in 2004 and has about 220 sculptures from the 60’s until today from Catalan artists. The museum also has different temporary exhibitions.

For more information or to book a guided tour, visit its site or call them at: 0034 972 306 246. Guided visits are normally at the weekends at 12 o’clock.

 

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If you want to do the tour in the morning, you can start for the Cork Museum at 10am, visit the Can Mario Tower at 11.30am and arrive at Vila Casa Foundation about 12.15pm.

If you prefer to do it in the afternoon, you can start the itinerary at 5pm at the Cork Museum in winter time and at 4pm in summer.

Once you have visited these three sides of the Can Mario Triangle you will have a complete cultural experience that could bring you to the industrial past and artistic present of our country.