Torre de la Manresana, a strategic watchtower in Anoia

The Torre de la Manresana is a watchtower located in the center of Manresana, in the municipality of Prats de Rei, in the Anoia comarca. 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 was in the hands of the Balsareny family and that it was integrated into the village when Prats de Rei was formed.

However, it is known for its strategic role during the War de Successió a Catalunya. During this conflict, the Austriacists and others fought for control of the Calaf region, and the Torre de la Manresana 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.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons