Castell de Mataplana stands in Gombren as a medieval structure whose origins trace to an 11th-century watchtower near the route from Gombren to Castellar de N'Hug. Initially featuring a circular tower, the castle expanded during the 12th century with a rectangular building and walled courtyard. Used through the early 14th century before abandonment, the structure later passed to the Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses in 1376, serving as an agricultural estate. Earthquakes in 1427-28 left it in ruins, though archaeological campaigns from 1986-1990 have preserved and documented its remains, which continue to evoke legends of Count Arnau, a mythical wanderer condemned to haunt the valley.
