6. The houses of the americanos and the Perola or clock tower

In the 19^th century, some of the men of l’Estartit like many other towns decided to emigrate to the Americas in search of fortune. These were known locally as the americanos or indianos. In l’Estartit we have the example of the two Marquès brothers, who went to Cuba and, once they amassed a fortune, returned to their hometown. The brothers built twin colonial-style houses on Carrer Santa Anna nos. 24 and 26. The inscription on the lintel dates from 1875. The colonial style presents a careful symmetry with straight lines, large windows and balconies, giving the whole an impressive appearance.

The Perola was the place where the fishermen dyed the nets, which were made of cotton and required careful maintenance, so that they had a darker colour, making them more effective for the task of capturing fish.

The name “Perola” in fact comes from the pot (perola) used to boil the dye. In l’Estartit, the “Pot” at Carrer de Santa Anna was open to the public and operated until 1890.

The Perola at Carrer de Santa Anna is also known as the Clock Tower (Torre del Rellotge); it was set up by the Town Hall with the financial assistance of the americanos brothers Joan and Pere Marquès, in 1878. There is now a sundial at the site, and a surrealist work of art by the Torroella-born painter Joan Fuster.

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