SPECIAL HERITAGE PLAN OF SURIA (BAGES)

Cultural heritage is one of the fundamental testimonies of the historical trajectory and identity of a national community. The assets that comprise it are an irreplaceable legacy that must be passed on in the best conditions to future generations.
The aim of this Special Plan for the Catalogue of Protected Assets of Súria (hereinafter PEBP) is to identify those buildings, complexes or elements that are part of Súria's heritage and ensure their protection and conservation by establishing special legislation.

The first signs of settlement in the territory of Súria date back to the Chalcolithic period (around 2300 BC), with the archaeological site of the Balma Sepulcral del Samuntà. Since then, the area has been continuously inhabited, as evidenced by remains from various eras: the Iron Age (Merlès culture), the Iberian period (especially in the Roser area), and the Late Roman and Early Medieval periods (with burials at Buadella and ceramic fragments at El Salí). Settlement was primarily located in the valleys of the tributary streams of the Cardener, as the main valley was too open and unsafe.

During the Middle Ages, three key settlements developed around churches: Cererols, Santa Maria sa Vila, and Sant Pere del Puig, all formed as sagreres (sacred spaces of protection around churches). The medieval "mas" (farmstead), which appeared in the 11th–12th centuries, was a small agricultural holding with a simple one-story house. The 14th-century plague and the abandonment of many masos led to the development of larger, more sustainable modern masies. Meanwhile, the Poble Vell was established as a walled town around the new castle around 1297, with walls, streets, and houses that evolved through the modern era.

From the 19th century onwards, Súria expanded with industrial development, starting with the raval de Sant Jaume, followed by other neighborhoods such as les Cabanasses, els Rastells, and raval Nou. The discovery of potash in 1912 triggered a major wave of immigration and the creation of new neighborhoods such as Colònia Santa Maria and Salipota. Súria's industrial heritage preserves elements like the gypsum kilns, factory remains, and most notably, the mine, which in recent years has been the focus of conservation efforts. This entire process has shaped the current urban and historical landscape of Súria.