Manresana Tower, history, War of Spanish Succession, General Guido von

The Manresana Tower is a watchtower located in the center of Manresana, in the municipality of Prats de Rei, in the Anoia comarca (Barcelona province, Catalonia, Spain). It is a building declared a cultural asset of national interest. Although it is not exactly known when it was built, it is documented since 1034, but its current construction is from the 12th century, which implies that it replaced a previous simpler construction. It is also assumed that it belonged to the Balsareny family during the Middle Ages and that it was integrated into the village when Prats de Rei was formed.

However, it is best known for its strategic role during the War of Spanish Succession. During this conflict that took place between 1701 and 1714, the Austriacists and Bourbons fought for control of the Calaf region, and the Manresana Tower was one of the key scenes of these conflicts, with General Guido von Starhemberg commanding his troops from its heights. The tower was used for signaling fires or smoke to communicate with other towers, not for producing fire or smoke.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons