Over a thousand years ago, Castello Montbui was a key center of power in the Queralt mountains of Igualada, Spain, offering its inhabitants a commanding view of the Ódena basin. The crumbling walls that still stand there are thought to be remnants of the original ninth century structure, a square building with rounded corners and the church of Santa Maria at its base. In the 11th century, it temporarily became a fortress, and parts of it had to be rebuilt after taking wartime damage. Then, in the 20th century, it was abandoned and nearly lost to the ravages of time and neglect.

Before starting on the renovation, Inaraja carried out a historical study that revealed the existence of a slab roof on the structure’s first floor. Based on the layout of similar buildings from the same time period, she determined that the original staircase ran along the now-collapsed western wall. The interior was divided into two floors and a basement, with the entrance on the eastern facade, which is itself about 33 feet tall (10 meters). It’s no wonder this building was used as a fortress, given that the walls are six feet thick.
“The restoration proposal is based on these historical findings and the available information about the tower’s original construction,” Inaraja says. “The project proposes reinforcement of the existing walls and the construction of specific elements referencing historical details, which will allow us to climb to the highes...