To end his financial problems, Agustin Atzerias made a pact with the devil. To honor this pact, he adorned his house on Carrer Josep Torres No. 20 with demonic ornaments on the building.
The history of Carrer Josep Torres No. 20 dates back to the late 19th century when it was constructed by an industrialist named Agustin Atzerias that was about to do some strange things. Atzerias, a man known for his wealth and extravagant lifestyle, faced financial difficulties in 1892 that sent him and his lifestyle crashing down. Legend has it that desperate to regain his fortune, he made a deal with the devil himself.
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According to the rumors, Atzerias sold his soul to the devil himself in exchange for money and riches to get back on his feet. Miraculously, he won the lottery shortly after making this pact and used the newfound wealth to complete the construction of Carrer Josep Torres No. 20.
The Demonic House: The House in Barcelona looks pretty normal from a distance, but if you look closer, you will see that the entire house is decorated in honor of the devil. // Source: Enric/Wikimedia
However, it is said that Atzerias’ success came at a great cost, as the house became a hub of paranormal activity and is to this day a haunted house filled with demonic powers.
The Barcelona Demon House quickly gained a reputation for its eerie occurrences that seemed to concentrate around this address. Locals reported hearing unexplained voices, footsteps echoing through the halls, and witnessing objects moving on their own. Many believe that the demonic ornaments adorning the facade of the house are a testament to the dark forces that reside within.
A Pact with the Devil: Allegedly the house is decorated this way because the owner made a pact with the devil in exchange for money. //Source: Enric/Wikimedia
The Mystery of the Demon House
One cannot help but be intrigued by the peculiar architecture and design of Carrer Josep Torres No. 20. The most striking feature of the house is the row of demon heads adorning its facade. These grotesque sculptures, with their twisted expressions and menacing features, have become an iconic symbol of the Barcelona Demon House.
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The origins of these demonic ornaments are shrouded in mystery. Some speculate that Atzerias, in his desperation to regain his fortune, invoked the help of dark forces and dedicated the house to the devil. Others believe that the demon heads were merely a reflection of Atzerias’ eccentric personality and fascination with the occult.
The Enduring Allure of Carrer Josep Torres No. 20
Despite the passage of time, the Barcelona Demon House continues to captivate the imaginations of those who dare to explore its dark corners. Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, Carrer Josep Torres No. 20 offers a glimpse into a world beyond our own. It serves as a reminder that there are still mysteries left to be unraveled and secrets waiting to be discovered.
The House with the Demonic Art: if you take a stroll down Carrer Josep Torres No. 20 and look up, you can see that the house is decorated with pictures and ornament of the devil. Exactly why, we will never know, but people have claimed that there is a demonic force that haunts the building now. //Source: Enric/Wikimedia
An entire building experienced what they thought to be the works of a poltergeist in 1935 in Carrer Francisco Giner No. 43 in Barcelona. For an entire week they endured the hauntings that no one, not even the authorities could explain.
Have you ever heard about a house that is so haunted that it scares the living daylights out of the people who live there? The houses were believed to be haunted by a ghost, or even possibly possessed by a poltergeist, which was seen and felt by many, even the police.
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One of the most famous haunted house stories in Barcelona, Spain was from 1935 when the residents of the building at No. 43 at Carrer Francisco Giner in Barcelona experienced what they thought had to be of the paranormal sorts.
The building is in a classical Barcelona neighborhood with its narrow alleyways, red toned stone buildings and plants hanging out from the windows and small balconies. But one night the building reached headlines in all of Spain when something unexplainable happened.
Many of those living in the building claimed they experienced what they thought was the works of a poltergeist-like thing that scared the residents with banging noises on the walls of the building. The furniture was reportedly flying in the air that lasted for days. It has since been known as the first documented poltergeist phenomenon in Catalonia.
The Night a Poltergeist Came to the Building
On February 10th that year the Montroig i Mondoza family was sleeping soundly when they were awakened by loud bangs against the walls. The oldest son got out of bed to see what was happening. Suddenly the drawers of the cabinets started opening by themselves, flinging themselves violently to the floor.
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Soon the whole neighborhood on Carrer Francisco Giner woke up to the loud banging noise and the entire building were suddenly witnesses to the strange happenings. They were frightened and called after help from the guards and the night watchman went out in search for the origin of the noise. He couldn’t find anything.
Suddenly the noises stopped and the neighbors went back to bed, confused but tired enough to fall peacefully asleep again, thinking that it was a one time thing they never had to go through again.
A Series of Hauntings
But the next day it happened again and morning came. When people came back from work it was still going on.
Mr. Montroig filed a complaint to the police when he came home from work, but when the police came to investigate the matter, they still couldn’t find the reason or the source of the noise.
Police Investigation: The people in the building reported the strange things going on to the police, and they came to investigate. They soon had to give up as they never found the culprit, or the root of the matter.
The next evening the noise had disappeared and everyone thought that the sounds were over. But then it started again the following night, and according to the residents, and especially the Montroig family, it only got worse. Inside of their apartment a chair started to levitate in the room. A lamp kept spinning and cutlery floated in the air while the hands of the clock sped up, going crazy.
Some residents of No.43 even claimed to have seen white shadows gliding in the corridors of the building and the temperature suddenly dropped. Not only this, but a violent hailstorm showered the building and the courtyard.
The people living in the building at Carrer Francisco Giner couldn’t take the haunting any longer and fled the place. Both the police as well as the press came and witnessed what happened as the paranormal activity continued for a week.
There really is no absolute resolution to this case. The entire Montroig family decided to leave the building and moved away. So did a lot of the other tenants living there. But not much has happened on this quiet street since.
What Really Happened in Carrer Francisco Giner?
What happened that week no one really knows though and the speculations continue to this day. There is speculation that it was caused because of the teenage son in the Montroig family. Joan Monroig was ill at the time, and some speculated that this was what attracted the poltergeist to the apartment building.
What we do know is that spiritualism was a really popular topic at this time, and the people experiencing these strange things quickly concluded for themselves and to the press that it was indeed what was happening. Although we have to give them credit that something really did happen that week the entire building was kept awake by a potential poltergeist.
The police concluded with nothing. Many things that happened could in fact have been recreated by a living human being, like the flying chairs. But what they never managed to answer was the vibrating that seemed to run through the entire building seen by the windows. Even today, the case remains unsolved.
The house of the seven chimneys, or La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas is one of the most famous haunted houses in Madrid. It is believed to be haunted by a woman that can be seen just floating above the seven chimneys of the estate.
Have you ever heard the eerie stories of an old haunted house in Spain? For centuries, locals have been telling tales of dark secrets and spectral figures within its walls. It’s no surprise that this mysterious building has become a popular destination for those looking for a thrilling adventure. In this article, we will explore this legendary haunted house and uncover its hidden mysteries.
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The House of the Seven Chimneys, La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas is a building where the Spanish Ministry of Culture is based in Madrid at Plaza del Rey today in Madrid. The name comes from the actual seven chimneys built into the house as well as what they represent according to the legends: The Seven Deadly Sins.
Who lived in the House of the Seven Chimneys?
It is one of the oldest manors in Madrid and many have lived inside of the walls. There are also several conflicting legends about for whom it was built.
La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas: The house of the Seven Chimneys in Madrid, Spain has long thought to be haunted by a mysterious woman floating just above the chimneys. //Source: Luis García/wikimedia
One of them claims the house was built by Felipe II for his illegitimate daughter in the 1570s or 80s. Today it is almost in the heart of the city, but back then it was a country house in the outskirts of Madrid surrounded by orchards and gardens, far away from the bustling city life. It was also a perfect place to hide away people.
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It is said that the daughter went crazy being locked up inside of the house and died. Why she died is unspecified, but it is believed that she is now haunting the house.
The Women in the Chimneys
One of the ghosts also said to haunt the place is a woman that can be seen floating above the seven chimneys. Could it be the ghost of the illegitimate daughter that he supposedly isolated in this house? Or could it perhaps be one of his mistresses?
It is thought that she is the ghost of Elena who was the mistress of King Filipe II. In some versions she was the daughter of one of his knights, perhaps she was both. In this version Elena was actually married to Captain Zapata from the royal army and it was their marital home. He was a man who fell in love with her when he saw her, but had to go fight in the battle of San Quintin straight after the wedding.
He was killed in the battle of Flanders only a couple of weeks after their wedding and it is said that Elena died of grief straight after. In some versions she took her own life in one of the rooms in the house.
The Mistress Murdered by The King
But some claim that this version of her story is wrong and she didn’t die of a broken heart, or by her own hand, but was murdered by the king to hide her secrets. What secrets? Well as her mistress, she knew too much and perhaps a child was proof of infidelity that the King didn’t want left alive.
It was said she was stabbed and her body hid away. King Felipe opened an investigation that pointed to her father that he was the killer. He ended up committing suicide by hanging himself from the beams in the house.
Because according to some of the legends inside of the house, it is said she gave birth to a daughter born after she married the captain, but rumors circulated that the daughter actually was the child of the king and he had to stop the rumors.
The Haunting of Elena
There are many supposed sightings of these ghosts, and most of them come from the bedroom that were thought to have been Elena’s. She is seen appearing in the room before she suddenly vanishes, just like her dead body did according to the stories.
It was said that a print of Elena’s hand would touch the window at night and a female apparition walked around the house and lit up a torch on the roof between the seven chimneys. It is said that these apparitions continued for many nights
The Skeletons are Found
At the end of the 19th century they did some renovation to make the building become the headquarters of the Banco de Castilla around 1881.
During the renovations they found the bones of a woman in the basement together with several coins from the 16th century, the time she was supposed to have lived. This is perhaps when the legends of the unfortunate mistress really took off.
Many believe today that this is the bones of Elena and that she was murdered to silence her about her affair with the king and the child people believed to be his.
Other Ghost Legends from the House
The ghost of an illegitimate daughter or a mistress are not the only ghosts that are thought to haunt these halls, or perhaps even the roof.
There are also said to be the ghost of a butler wandering the house near the entrance door. It is thought he was one of those that died during the Esquilache riot that happened inside of the manor house.
There is also a creepy legend about a young woman that lived during the time of Felipe II. She died on her wedding night with an old Indian landowner according to legend. It looks like she also had some unfinished business with her king as she was supposedly found with a dagger in her chest in the basement with money from the king scattered around her.
The Truth of the House of the Seven Chimneys
The truth is that we don’t really know who the woman found in the basement with the bag of coins from this time was. She will remain nameless, her ghost wandering on top of the roof among the seven chimneys
A string of mysterious murders of young women made the suspicion land on the people residing in the House of Cortijo Jurado. It is now believed to be haunted as it was a place for gruesome satanic rituals.
In the Campanillas neighborhood in the outskirts of Malaga there is an old mansion from the 19th century that used to belong to the wealthy Heradia family from La Rioja. They built the house with 365 windows, one for each day.
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In later years the mansion has been called Casa Encantada (House of the Enchanted), but it is more sinister than fairy tale-like and mostly known as a satanic murder house for those interested in the paranormal.
The Missing Women Victims of Satanic Rituals
This bourgeois 19th century English Gothic styled mansion was the location of suspected kidnappings of the local girls. In the span of over 30 years from 1890 to 1920 at least 5 young girls went missing in the area, and some of them showed up dead near a river close to the house covered in strange wounds. People thought that the wounds had to be from the satanic ritual and torture the girls went through in their final moments.
The Unsolved Murders: There was a string of mysterious murders that happened to the women in the nearby villages. The mansion was soon tied to the crimes and people started to speculate about satanic rituals going on inside of the house. // Source: Tyk/ wikimedia
Rumours spread that those in the mansion together with the other rich families in the area had something to do with the disappeared and dead girls and that there were tunnels built under the house and chambers underneath it used for torture. Legend has it that the missing women were used for satanic rituals.
Whether it is true or not that the family in the mansion had anything to do with it, it is actually true that many young girls disappeared in this period, they could never prove anything. Although local lore claims that the rich family used their wealth to escape justice.
The Ghosts of Cortijo Jurado
After this, many claim to have heard strange noises coming from the Cortijo Jurado and seeing ghostly figures in the darkened windows of the first floors and in the courtyard. It was believed to be the ghosts of the missing girls and that they are still calling for help and trying to prove and show what really happened to them.
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In the basement there is according to the legends the torture instruments used on the girls who are allegedly buried under the house.
They have actually found the hidden tunnels, although they are now blocked off. The testimony we have of this comes from Manuel Martin who did a dare in front of his friends to go into the tunnels in 1942 the workers of the property had found.
He came back out white as a sheet and told about the torture machines and bones he had seen. The man kept to his words for years according to both his neighbors as well as those that have done research on it. Who really knows where they lead?
Prison During the Spanish Civil War
The house was also used as a hospital as well as a prison during the civil war were torture and executions were also a part of the every day occurrences in the building, further staining the walls with death and blood.
The urban explorers that uncovered the hidden tunnels underneath the house then uncovered what looked like a torture room as well. Perhaps it even predated the war one may wonder.
Plans of Renovations
The house is today abandoned and mostly in ruins, although not completely forgotten. In 2000 they tried to make a movie with the haunted mansion as a location and a backdrop, but because of weird accidents and failure of the battery and electric equipment that bothered the production, they had to give up and the movie was never completed.
Abandoned Building: There is a long time since anyone lived in the mansion. There have been several attempts of fix the place up and turn it into a resort, although it still hasn’t happened. //Source: Nicky69es/wikimedia
In 2004 they approved plans to renovate the place into a 4 star hotel, but the plans fell through in 2015 as the economic crisis hit.
Today you can spot the haunted mansion on the nearby motorway, a dark spot on Costa del Sol’s bright days.
Spain’s first recorded serial killer was caught killing people up in the Galician mountains. His crimes were horrible in itself, but his defense was even more gruesome. According to him he was cursed to be a werewolf without his human will, and was remembered as The Werewolf of Allariz.
For centuries, the mythical creature of the werewolf has been the subject of countless tales, striking fear into the hearts of villagers and captivating the imaginations of storytellers alike. But how much of this terrifying legend is rooted in truth?
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From the dark forests of Galicia, Spain, to the eerie moonlit nights where the beast is said to roam, this hair-raising journey will leave you questioning what lies beyond our realm of understanding and has since been known as The Werewolf of Allariz.
The Werewolf of Allariz Legend
At the cusp of the 19th century, Allariz, a small town in Orense, experienced a series of horrible crimes. The Galician forest seemed especially dark when 13 people disappeared and were found brutally murdered inside of it.
They found the man that confessed to the murders, but what was especially strange about this was his reasoning for the murderers.
Manuel Blanco Romasanta, the murderer, told a story that no one really wanted to believe. He said when he was a teenager when someone put a curse on his family and he was turned into a werewolf every full moon. During these full moon turns, he lost all human consciousness and because of the beast in him, he killed and devoured the flesh of his victims.
Werewolves: There have been told stories about werewolves since ancient times. Some have even made it into trial. From The Book of Werewolves: Being an Account of a Terrible Superstition. — London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1865.
Romasanta is Spain’s first documented serial killer. His case was a sensation, not only because of the brutality of his crimes but also because of the werewolf claims. The legend of the Werewolf of Allariz had come to life, blurring the lines between myth and reality. Romasanta’s trial shed light on the dark underbelly of human nature and the fascination with the supernatural.
Romasanta Unusual Background
Romasanta, also known as the Tallow Man was born in 1809 in Regueiro in Ourense Province in Spain to a rather wealthy family that provided their children with education. He was one of five children in the family and at first he was thought to have been female. That is why he spent his first sex years being raised as a girl with the name Manuela. When he was six there was a doctor that rearranged his sex to male.
So we might have a case of an intersex person, as the birth certificate said girl, but this was the 1800s, and there was not a science or wording that can confirm it as we know of it today. We do know he lived most of his life as a male though, working as a tailor and married to a woman that passed away. There is no indication of him being involved in her death.
After her death, he left his job and started to travel, mainly to Portugal, and soon started to work as a guide through the mountain passes and deep woodlands among other things.
In the 1840s at the time of a great famine and mass hysteria where the world was seen as a dangerous place, a man named Antonio Gomes showed up in a small village called Rebordechao. He helped with the harvest, worked as a cook, made yarn and worked as a guide to follow people safely over the thesaurus mountains.
He was a short man with feminine features and became very friendly with the women in the town. But then strange things started to happen the next few years as women and children that had hired this man as their guide and trusted him, started to disappear.
In reality, Antoni Gomez was actually Blanco Romasanta that lived under a disguise and was on the run for killing a man that tried to collect a depth.
Although Romasanta kept delivering letters to the families to the disappeared, something was strange. Especially when he started selling the clothes of the disappeared in town. And a rumor started about him selling soap that was made from human fat, hence the nickname, The Tallow Man.
He was brought to trial in 1852 and taken to Allariz where he had the strangest defense. At the time he was arrested he was carrying a lunar calendar.
The Trial of Manuel Blanco Romasanta
The trial of Manuel Blanco Romasanta captivated the nation and brought the Werewolf of Allariz into the spotlight. As the evidence against him mounted, Romasanta’s story of being cursed by a witch and transformed into a werewolf became more and more difficult to believe.
The Werewolf of Allariz confessed to 13 murders and had this to say about his time as a werewolf:“The first time I transformed, was in the mountains of Couso. I came across two ferocious-looking wolves. I suddenly fell to the ground and began to feel convulsions, I rolled over three times, and a few seconds later I was a wolf. I was out marauding with the other two for five days, until I returned to my own body, the one you see before you today, Your Honour. The other two wolves came with me, who I thought were also wolves, changed into human form. They were from Valencia. One was called Antonio and the other Don Genaro. They too were cursed… we attacked and ate a number of people because we were hungry.” — Manuel Blanco Romasanta
The court asked The Werewolf of Allariz to transform in court, but he said that the curse had been broken as it only lasted for 13 years.
The Werewolf of Allariz: Manuel Blanco Romasanta were tried tin 1852 after killing people in the Galican mountains. His defence was that he was in fact a werewolf.
Some experts suggested that Romasanta may have been suffering from a psychological disorder, such as clinical lycanthropy, which caused him to believe he was a werewolf. Others argued that he was simply a cold-blooded killer using the werewolf myth as a cover for his crimes.
The Werewolf of Allariz ended up being acquitted for four of the murders he had confessed to as forensic science indicated that it was actually wolf attacks and not the butchering by a human as the other nine.
He escaped the death penalty as there were people that wanted to study him and observe his claim as a werewolf and clinical lycanthropy as a psychological illness and even the Queen of Spain intervened so that they could study him. He died in prison though under mysterious circumstances only months after arriving. Some say that it was an illness, some say he was shot by a guard that wanted to see him transform.
The legend of the Werewolf of Allariz continues to captivate audiences to this day, serving as a reminder of our fascination with the supernatural and the unknown. Werewolves have long been a staple of folklore and mythology, appearing in stories from cultures around the world.
The Myth of the Galician Werewolf
But where did the murderer take all of the werewolf lore from? The concept of a shapeshifting human was not a foreign concept in Galician folklore at all, and there were many tales and certain rules for a werewolf.
In Galician folklore, it is a belief that the seventh son of a family can become a werewolf, or lobishome. If the child is born normal, it will be born with the image of a cross inside of his mouth. If not, he will become a werewolf.
There are different variations to the myth, but most of them claim that during a full moon, they can’t help themselves to transform and roll in mud before starting to attack people.Every Friday the werewolf will shed his clothes and run off, visiting seven villages and taking another skin from that village. The Enduring Fascination with Werewolves
The Lobishomen: The Galician mythology have told stories about shape shifting people long before the Werewolf of Allariz were caught.
But what is it about these creatures that continues to capture our imaginations? Perhaps it is the idea of transformation, of a human turning into a beast under the light of the full moon. Or maybe it is the duality of their nature, the struggle between the human and the animal within.
Whatever the reason, werewolves have become an enduring part of popular culture, appearing in books, movies, and television shows. From the classic horror films of the early 20th century to the modern-day werewolf romances, these creatures continue to fascinate and terrify us.
So the next time you find yourself walking through a dark forest on a moonlit night, remember the legend of the Werewolf of Allariz and the power that stories have to both terrify and captivate. And who knows, you may just catch a glimpse of something lurking in the shadows, a creature caught between the worlds of man and beast.
According to this Barcelonian legend, there is the ghost of Comte Arnau that is cursed to roam the world in his afterlife because of his sins as a cruel ruler and stealing the dead body of a nun that he had seduced.
Spain, known for its rich folklore and legends, is home to many tales of ghostly apparitions and haunted locations. Among these stories, one of the most enduring and spine-chilling is that of Comte Arnau’s ghost. According to local lore, Comte Arnau was a feudal lord in the 14th century, known for his dark deeds and sinister reputation.
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The legend of Comte Arnau has been passed down through generations in Catalan mythology and is the subject of a classic Catalan ballad from the 16th century Cançó del comte l’Arnau. According to the legend, he was a nobleman from Ripolles and only known for his cruelty.
Those who claimed to have encountered his spectral presence describe a feeling of unease and dread, as if they are being watched by an otherworldly force. But who was Comte Arnau, and what led to his eternal damnation?
The Remains of the Mataplana Castle
There are different theories about where the story about the Comte Arnau came from and where he resided and was a lord of. One of the theories is from the Mataplana Castle.
Mataplana Castle: The ruins of the castle were Comte Arnau was thought to live. // Source: Enric/wikimedia
Located in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, this medieval fortress served as the seat of power for the Arnau family according to the legends, as it was for a long time lost.
They have found remains of a castle built in the 12th century that seems like there really was a real Romanesque castle attached to the legend. Nowadays only the chapel and the remains of the castle can be see by the naked eye but next to it underground there is a whole neighbourhood just waiting for a full excavation.
If there really was a lord like Comte Arnau there though is highly speculative. We know that in the 14th century it became the residence of Count Artau of Pallars. He was for a long time thought to be the mythic character of Count Arnau.
Castell de Mataplana: There is only a chapel and pieces of the old wall left today. //Source: Àlex/Wikimedia
History of the Virgin Chapel and the Montgrony Sanctuary
In the heart of the Pyrenees, nestled among the rugged mountains, lies the Montgrony Sanctuary. This sacred site has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries, drawing devout worshippers and curious visitors alike. At the heart of the sanctuary stands the Virgin Chapel, a small stone building that holds a deep spiritual significance.
He was not a reliable lord and he abused his power whenever he could. For example he had promised his workers that they would get a bag of wheat for every step they built up to the Virgin Chapel and the Montgrony Sanctuary. The workers completed the steps, but the count didn’t hold his promise and didn’t pay them.
The Dark Deeds of Comte Arnau
Comte Arnau was a man of wealth and power, ruling over his lands with an iron fist. But beneath his noble facade lay a twisted and depraved nature, driven by his insatiable desires.He was set up for an arranged marriage with a 15 year old girl he didn’t find attractive. Twice her age, he sought other women.
One of Comte Arnau’s most notorious acts was his seduction of the abbess of the Sant Joan de les Abadesses Monastery. The young abbess, innocent and naive, fell under his spell, unable to resist his advances. Their illicit affair continued in secret, until tragedy struck and she died.
It is said that during a violent storm, Comte Arnau decided to steal the body of the abbess and ride off into the night. As he galloped through the treacherous terrain, his horse lost its footing, sending both rider and corpse hurtling over the edge of a cliff. The fall was fatal, but Comte Arnau’s spirit was not released to the afterlife. Instead, he was condemned to roam the earth as a restless ghost, forever haunted by his dark deeds.
Because of his sins, his soul was damned and he was cursed to ride his horse on stormy nights for all eternity. You can see him followed by a pack of wild dogs, more like hell dogs as they spit fire through their mouths, ears and eyes.
The Fiery Horse: The count has been known for riding on his fiery horse on stormy nights after he was condemned to wander the earth for all eternity for his crimes.
In the song the count visits his wife and daughters, riding a fiery horse after he is condemned and haunts them. He appears at the foot of a grate where she is embroidering and tries to grab her, in order to burn her and make her follow to hell. It is said that the count visited his wife every night for seven whole years. Seven years that was the time that the mourning lasted.
The Ghosts of the Lord
The story of Comte Arnau’s downfall serves as a cautionary tale, a reminder of the consequences that await those who give in to their darkest impulses. His ghostly presence in Barcelona is a constant reminder of the sins he committed and the eternal punishment he now endures.
At the old marketplace in Barcelona Mercat de Santa Caterina there are stories about the devil that made an appearance after witches used to congregate on this place for black masses.
Barcelona, a city steeped in history and rich in culture, has its fair share of haunted tales. Among the many haunted locations, Santa Caterina Haunted Market stands out as one of the most intriguing.
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The city’s turbulent past, marked by wars, plagues, and religious conflicts, has left an indelible imprint on its architecture and folklore. Barcelona’s ancient buildings and narrow streets seem to hold the secrets of a bygone era, and whispers of the past still echo through its cobblestone alleyways. From the Gothic Quarter to the Montjuïc Castle, stories of ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena abound. This is also the case with the Santa Caterina Haunted Market that truly captures the imagination, drawing in thrill-seekers and history enthusiasts alike.
Mercat de Santa Caterina: The old traditional marked in Barcelona was once thought to be the place were witches met to hold black masses and where the devil himself made an appearance. //Source:Enric/Wikimedia
Santa Caterina Market, located in the heart of Barcelona, has a history that dates back over eight centuries. Let’s explore the significance of this market and how it became entwined with the supernatural.
The History and Significance of Mercat de Santa Caterina
This old market of Mercat de Santa Caterina dates back to 1845, but its history is even longer. It was built on top of the Convent of Santa Caterina from 1243. The Spanish government confiscated all of the church property in 1836, and the church itself was demolished only a year after.
Mercat de Santa Caterina was the first market in Barcelona with a roof over its head. Before it got the new colorful roof it is known for today, it was a rattling one, that made violent sounds, scared children and it happened that the tile or ceramic flew off during the worst storms. People started to talk about that it was something else than the wind that made the sounds and rattling, and in these stories, even the devil himself made an appearance.
The Roof: The Santa Caterina Market is clearly visible now with its colored roof. //Source: Fred Romero/Wikimedia
Local folklore and beliefs surrounding the haunted market
The Santa Caterina Haunted Market has long been shrouded in local folklore and beliefs. Barcelona’s residents have passed down tales of supernatural occurrences and strange happenings for generations, creating a rich tapestry of ghost stories and legends. The market’s proximity to the ancient Convent of Santa Caterina only adds to its mystique, as many believe that the spirits of the nuns who once resided there still roam the halls.
Among the many haunting legends and ghost stories associated with the Santa Caterina Haunted Market, one tale stands out as particularly spine-chilling. According to local lore, the market was once the site of a black mass for witches, with the devil himself making an appearance according to numerous witnesses.
Local lore claimed that whenever the Devil passed through Barcelona, he would make a visit to this place at midnight. It is said that during these dark ceremonies, the witches would invoke supernatural forces and perform rituals to harness their power.
During one of the biggest witch trials in Spain, there was one place that was thought to be more filled with witchcraft than others. In the so-called Witch Caves of Zugarramurdi in the Basque country, it was said that witches gathered for sabbaths and akellares.
The witch hunt hit Europe hard, and Spain was no different. The Inquisition in Spain was brutal and perhaps one of the darkest chapters in the history of the country. The church and its helpers took everyone that the catholic deemed inappropriate, witches, heretics alike.
In Navarre, north in the country close to the French border, the forest of the Pyrenees grew thick and legends, strange rites and rumors of witches were especially strong there.
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Especially in the deep darkness of the caves of Zugarramurdi the haunted legends from the past echoes throughout the walls of the cave. You can find them just 400 meters from the village through the woods.
The Witch Caves of Zugarramurdi: These caves in Zugarramurdi in northern, Spain were long thought to be a popular place for witches to meet and conduct witchcraft and demonic sabbaths.
Inside of the 120 meters long cave that towers over 10 meters is the stream called Oblabidea that runs through it. The stream was also known as Infernuko Erreka, or the stream of hell and was a perfect place for the witches to hold their sabbats.
The Magical and Mysterious Basque Country
Already in the 1100s, the Basque country was described as barbaric and mysterious from southern Spain’s perspective. The place was also a misty and heavily wooded terrain with few people that spoke a foreign and as they describe it, harsh sounding language.
Belief in witches were actually quite low compared to the rest of Europe at that time, and the educated Spaniards saw witchcraft as a protestant superstition as well as something only the “uneducated” northerners believed in. Still, being accused as a witch was a very deadly thing as the people of Zugarramurdi would soon find out.
The Tribunal of the Spanish Inquisition in Logrono received intel that there were witches and wizards in Zugarramurdi and became involved in one of the most brutal and biggest witch hunts in Spanish history with over 7000 investigated for witchcraft.
In 1610 take came to Zugarramurdi that means the hill of elm trees to investigate the suspicions. The people of Zugarramurdi had long traditions of making creams and herbal medicine that were unknown to the rest of the country. There were also more women as the men were at sea for months on whaling boats, something that the authorities saw as unfortunate and suspicious with villagers filled with women going on about their days with the men away.
There were also the strange things that the number of stillborns were abnormally higher than the rest of Spain. This has turned out to be because the Basques have a very high percentage of Rhesus Negative blood. Although we today have a scientific explanation on it, they used to think they were cursed.
The Witch Trials of Zugarramurdi
It all started when a 20-year old girl came back to the town after living many years in France. For some reason she started to tell everyone that she had been one of those participating in Akelarres, or the witch sabbaths.
Then she started to involve more people and claimed that a woman named Maria de Jureteguis had been involved as well. This is when things escalated and more and more of the locals started to accuse each other for witchcraft.
Over 300 became involved in the investigation, almost the whole village. The witch hunters rounded up over 40 women and men that the neighbors had accused and brought them back to Logorno to await trial.
Many of them repented and were let go in the end, but some of them were tortured for months and five died in prison. There were 7 that were burned at the stake.
When the trial had ended all of them were dragged through the streets with no hair and big wax candles in their hands. A lot of them were wearing a tunic called sanbenitos to show people that they had sinned. Some had a rope around their necks to show they were about to be flogged. The remains of those that died were carried to the pyre and four women and two men were burned as they kept denying they were witches.
Their names were Domingo de Subildegui, María de Echachute, Graciana Xarra, Maria Baztan de Borda, Maria de Arburu and Petri de Joangorena. Not all of them were from Zugarramurdi town, but were all condemned for participating in the witch sabbath there.
It was the notorious Inquisitor Valle-Alvardo who came to town and rounded up everyone they thought looked and seemed out of sorts as a last effort to root out evil from Navarre in what became known as the Basque Witch Trials.
A madness and witch fever because of what happened were getting out of hand and thousands upon thousands were accused of witchcraft all across the country. A man went back to Zugarramurdi and spent 18 months talking with them. It turned out that most of the accusations were false, but alas, for many it was already too late.
Akelarre – the Spanish Witch Sabbath
Akelarre literally means the pasture of the he-goat in Basque, and according to the tribunal it was where the witches met up with Satan. Today the word is synonymous with Witch Sabbath in Spain.
The Akelarre and the witch sabbath lore seems to have been the pagan remains of the rituals from before christianity. This type of female worship in groups has been done since the classical Greece times when worshiping Dionysus, perhaps even before.
Witch Sabbaths: The painting Akelarre from 1798, by Francisco Goya.
People over Europe were accused of these types of gatherings, but if there was actually anyone doing it is highly uncertain, even though pagan remains of the past have lasted for a much longer time in remote places than the church would have liked it to.
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Some of the things the accused witches of Zugarramurdi werre thought to do was demonic possession, vampirism, celebrating black masses and causing storms, as well as cursing the fields and animals among other things.
The Witches in the Caves
Why was it that there were so many accused of witchcraft right here in this quaint little village? Some of it had to do with the rumors of the caves nearby where people claimed to have seen big bonfires and pagan festivities by the locals, the witches.
According to legend, the rest of the witches of Zugarramurdi went into hiding in some caves outside of the town after their time on trial. To get away from the town that wanted them dead and gone. Perhaps it was to practice their rites and witchcraft in peace, far from the deadly hands of the inquisition?
The story goes that you can still hear the echoes of their magical chanting and dancing around the fires.
Inside of it they have a throne room, where the devil himself would join the witches during the sabbath.
The Witch Caves of Zugarramurdi Today
Today it is still an important place for the modern-day witches in Spain and they honor the reputation and the magical place of Zugarramurdi and the caves people once thought were a place for devil worship. The town of Zugarramurdi also established the witch museum to remember the town’s dark past and holds yearly fests in the famous cave.
For years children kept disappearing in the El Raval neighborhood in Barcelona. When the culprit finally was found it was Enriqueta Marti and her twisted crimes at fault. She was because of the darkness of her crimes called The Vampire of El Raval, and perhaps the scope of her crimes will never be revealed.
Step into the dark streets of El Raval, Barcelona, and immerse yourself in the chilling tale of Enriqueta Martí, the infamous vampire who haunted this neighborhood in the late 19th century.
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Known for her macabre activities, Enriqueta Martí preyed on the most vulnerable members of society, luring innocent children into her clutches. This dark tale unravels the secrets behind her heinous crimes, revealing a web of deceit, manipulation, and unspeakable horrors that made people refuse to believe that she was actually human.
The Dark and Scary Neighborhood: El Raval
The Raval neighborhood in Barcelona had a dark and sinister reputation in the years leading up to the first world war. This area, still commonly referred to as the Barri Xino or red light district, has a long history of criminal activity and poverty as well as the bohemian homes to artists, theaters, bars and cabarets.
Its dimly lit streets and alleys have witnessed countless crimes, making it the perfect setting for the haunting tale of Enriqueta Martí. At the start of the 20th century it was the most densely populated district in Europe. The atmosphere of fear and unease that permeates the Raval adds an extra layer of dread to the story of the infamous vampire.
The Missing Children Nobody Looked For
In the late 19th century, Barcelona was a city plagued by poverty and social inequality where there was a big difference between the highs and lows of social status. It was in this environment of desperation that Enriqueta Martí found her victims. She preyed on the most vulnerable members of society: the poor children that no one really noticed. These innocent souls were often neglected and forgotten by society, making them easy targets for Martí’s twisted desires.
The disappearances of these children went unnoticed for far too long, as their absence was overshadowed by the chaos and hardships of the time. Martí’s ability to operate in the shadows, unnoticed by the authorities, allowed her reign of terror to continue unchecked.
The Dark Legend of Enriqueta Martí as the Vampire of El Raval
Enriqueta Martí i Ripollés, a name that still sends chills down the spines of those who dare to speak it. Born in 1868, Martí would go on to become one of the most notorious figures in Barcelona’s history.
Enriqueta Martí i Ripollés: Photo of the alleged serial killer from Barcelona.
She was known by many names: “The Vampire of carrer Ponent”, “The Vampire of Barcelona,” and “The Vampire of the Raval.” The press sensationalized her crimes, perpetuating the image of a bloodthirsty monster who fed on the innocent.
Martí’s macabre activities included kidnapping, murder, and even running a brothel that specialized in child prostitution. But what drove this woman to commit such heinous acts?
Before being renovated in 1923, the street was something else entirely than the home of a bar, pub and fancy shops. It used to be a brothel that Enriqueta owned.She was a simple country girl that moved to the city to earn her living. She started out as a nanny and a waitress, but soon ended up becoming a prostitute until she became a madam and opened her own brothel on Carrer Ponent.
The Vampire’s Work as a Witch Doctor
One of her darker endeavors was her work as a witch doctor. She was said to sell miracle skin creams to rich ladies that promised them eternal beauty.
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The only thing they didn’t know was that these supposed creams contained the blood and fat of children. Or perhaps they knew, but just didn’t care.
She also claimed to have found a cure for tuberculosis that plagued the city at that time. She said that by drinking the blood of children, they would be cured.
The Horrible Crimes
It is said that she dressed up as a poor woman and looked for children that had no grown ups watching them. She then took them and sold them in her brothel.
She was arrested once in 1909 during the Tragic Week for selling children but was never convicted as she utilized her friends in high places that relied on her services.
It was only when a particular girl went missing that the police really bothered to investigate properly as she was not a poor and orphaned child as many of her other victims had been.
The Tragic Tale of Teresita Guitart Congost
Although Teresita Guitart Congost’s parents weren’t necessarily rich, they were popular and had a fair amount of influence to make this case matter compared to all the other cases. A neighbor saw the girl in Marti’s apartment on 29 Ponent Street or Carrer de Joaquin Costa as it is today, and notified the police. When they arrived they found both Teresita Guitart Congost and a girl called Angelita. Teresita Guitart Congost said that Marti had lured her there with sweets before locking them up in her apartment.
Saved: Teresita Guitart Congost at 5 years old after she was found and rescued from the Vampire of El Raval.
No one knew who Angelita was, and even if Marti claimed it was her daughter, her ex husband said they never had any children. It was from this girl that harrowing details came into the light. According to this young girl, she had apparently seen Marti butcher a 5 year old in the kitchen table called Pepito that she had stolen from a single mother that was new to the city.
The police also found bags filled with small and bloody human bones as well as dirty clothes as well as around 50 jars of fat, blood, hair and skeletons, some already mixed into an ointment, ready for sale.
Although there was a filthy apartment with a horrible stench, there was one room where it was clean with expensive furniture and nice looking clothes for both girls and boys, most likely where her clients were taken.
In her former apartments they found bones, in the yards, a skull of a child. They had no way of piecing all of them together, and the forensic could only identify twelve children. But how many it really was, is unknown.
The Arrest and Trial of Enriqueta Martí
The police accused her of abducting and killing children, how many is unknown. She had 20 years to commit her crimes in peace. She never confessed to killing any of the children, but admitted that she had brought children to rich child molesters through her brothel. She never named her clients.
Arrested: Enriqueta Martí was finally arrested after the discovery of two kidnapped children in her apartment that told the authorities about the killings. Although she was finally arrested for her crimes, she never had a proper trial and became convicted, and a lot of questions remain.
Martí was never convicted. Her fellow inmates took matters into their own hands and hung her in the prison yard in May 1913. In some versions she was beaten to death. The official death claims it was cancer. Rumors circulated that Martí’s wealthy patrons had paid for her murder to ensure that their dark dealings with her would never come to light. The official cause of death listed on her death certificate was uterine cancer, effectively closing the door on any further investigation into her crimes.
Was the Rumor False?
While Martí’s reign of terror came to an end with her death, questions still linger about the true extent of her crimes. Did she really kill them, or was she more of a scapegoat for the elite to throw away when the police came too close?
They suggest that she can only be reliably linked to the abduction of one young girl, Teresita Guitart. These researchers contend that the black legend attributed to Martí cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
However, the stories and legends surrounding her continue to haunt the dark corners of Barcelona, perpetuating her infamous reputation and for many years, there were countless of local Barcelonians that claimed that they had been tried or were kidnapped by her.
Enriqueta Martí’s Dark Tale Lives On
The tale of Enriqueta Martí, the infamous vampire of El Raval, is a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk in the human soul. Her crimes shocked a city and left scars that still remain to this day. While the truth may never be fully known, the legend of Martí continues to captivate and terrify those who dare to delve into the depths of her dark tale.
As we walk through the streets of El Raval, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of unease, as if the echoes of her crimes still linger in the shadows. Enriqueta Martí may be gone, but her legacy as one of Barcelona’s most notorious figures lives on, reminding us of the thin line between good and evil, and the horrors that can lie hidden just beneath the surface.
In an abandoned porcelain doll factory in Spain they got up and left production in a hurry. Remains of the dolls were left to be found by those daring to enter the abandoned building. It is said that some that have taken some of the dolls out from the building had to return it back because they thought they were haunted.
Right on the border between the municipalities of Altura and Segorbe Castellon Province, this property belonged to the Inglés family in 1970, which was dedicated to the manufacture of porcelain molds. Inside the building we find hundreds of them in different shapes: animals, houses, and especially, dolls.
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The building of the old factory is on the corner between the ‘old height road’ and the Esperanza road. Also this road is in ruins and the area has even been cordoned off to prevent people from entering.
We don’t really know much of the building before it became a doll factory, but some sources claim that it used to be a convent at the beginning of the last century. And when the Second Republic came around it is said that they killed the nuns and monks that lived there. According to this horrible legend of the place they also threw them into the well on the property.
The abandoned porcelain doll factory has a rich history that dates back to its establishment in the 1970s by the Inglés family. Ramon Ingles was a sculptor and porcelain artist that bought the place after the Civil War and opened the factory together with his sister, Josefina.
The three story building produced the dolls until the 1980s until it was abruptly shut down and abandoned. Why did it close down? Was it because of the financial strain the factory experienced, or was it because the building was cursed as the legends claim? It left behind half-finished dolls on the assembly lines and boxes of boxes of their parts, wigs and clothes remains in the abandoned factory.
Dark rumors and legends surrounding the doll factory
Over the years, the doll factory has become the subject of numerous dark rumors and legends. Locals speak of ghostly apparitions, strange noises, and eerie occurrences that have been witnessed by those brave enough to venture inside.
It has been said that those who take a doll or a part of a doll with them home have experienced strange things after. Some have even gone back to return the things they took to stop what they thought was a haunting coming from the doll.
Is the building cursed as some claim it is? What we do know is that people use it as a place for summoning something. Another strange thing that urban explorers have come over on their trips to this factory is remnants of what looks like a ritual of sacrificing chickens that were strung up on crosses.
Plans of the factory moving forward
A woman bought and had plans to restore the factory, but she fell ill and went bankrupt. Since then the building has experienced a constant state of deterioration until the roof collapsed in 2011. There have also constantly been people looting the place in search for rare and expensive dolls.
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