The history of the masia in the Castellon region and the Maestrazgo begins in the 13th century and it signifies a change in the way of farming in the country. The home of the farming community shifts from the villages to the masia. The masia in Spain did not only represent a work environment but also a tiny community - the bigger masias could be the home of more than fifty people. By the 16th century this form of life was dominating the countryside in this region of Spain.

Masias were often more or less self sufficient. They had their own wells or were situated close to a stream, had vegetable gardens, produced grain for making bread, had fruit trees and kept animals like sheep, goat, chickens and pigs.

Life on a masia was usually quite simple, and this is represented in the way the houses were built - no tiled ground floor but just compacted mud, the stables were often part of the main house. The masia had even less windows than the typical village house, mainly to keep the summer sun out.

Today few masias are used in the original way, some of them lie in ruins, others have been refurbished and are used as country homes. Especially the larger ones can fetch extraordinary prices when renovated, as they are popular with Spanish and foreign people alike.