the school was founded in 1855 by three piarists related persons: the priest ermengol coll de valldemia, pelegrí ferrer and ramon cuspinera. its first name was «colegio de cataluña», and it was on the land of a traditional catalan manor named "can miralpeix". the school's aim was to provide a modern and christian education. after 1858, the school was known as «» (in catalan) or «» (in spanish). in 1888 the school was given to the marist brothers to run.