Besalú, Garrotxa, Catalonia, Spain

Besalú is a town and municipality in the county of La Garrotxa, in the counties of Girona. Built on top of the hill where the remains of the canonry of Santa Maria are, there was the count’s castle. The monumental importance of Besalú is given fundamentally by its great value of set, by its unit, that determines it like one of the most important and singular samples of the medieval sets of Catalonia.

It is located at an altitude of 150 meters and has an area of 4.81 km². As its origin indicates, Bisuldunum was a fortress between two rivers: the Fluvià to the south and the Capellades to the north. The town of Besalú, born around the hill occupied by the castle and the church of Santa Maria de Besalú, extends to the southwest of the confluence of the Capellades stream with the river Fluvià. It enjoys good communication when being at the crossroads between three regions.

The current layout of the town does not respond faithfully to its original state but it does make it possible to read the urbanization of the Middle Ages with the existence of important buildings: the bridge, the micvé or Jewish baths, the church of the Monastery of Sant Pere, Sant Julià (former pilgrims’ hospital), the Casa Cornellà, the church of Sant Vicenç and the building of the Royal Curia. Besalú shows an architectural and urban structure quite consistent with the medieval past.

The old town of Besalú is a work declared a cultural asset of national interest. In 1979 it was declared a “national ensemble” for its great architectural value. Scattered remains of the walls and fortifications of medieval Besalú remain, often inside later buildings. We know that the first walls protected the castle and its outbuildings. An example of this is the Portal de la Força in Carrer del Comte Tallaferro. In the twelfth century, a new enclosure surrounded the Jewish quarter, the church of Sant Vicenç i Vilarrobau, leaving outside the monastery of Sant Pere, which was finally included in the last fortified enclosure of the fourteenth century.

In addition to the old parish of Sant Vicenç de Besalú, the church of Santa Maria de Besalú, the monastery of Sant Pere de Besalú and the bridge of Besalú over the Fluvià, the façade of Romanesque origin of the church should be highlighted. of Sant Julià de Besalú of the old hospital, the house Llaudes or Cornellà in the Prat de Sant Pere, with later reforms (in the same building the dates 1641 and 1783 appear), and the house of the porches of the street of Tallaferro. It seems that also from Romanesque times is the “Miqwe” or Jewish ritual baths, located by the river, in the heart of the ancient Jewish quarter. The building in Plaça de la Llibertat dates back to the Gothic periodo Major attributed to the Royal Curia, and Can Cambó in Carrer Major, recently restored by the General Directorate of Housing of the Generalitat de Catalunya and intended for social and cultural facilities.

Also in the main square, porch, built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it is worth noting the City Hall building, from the seventeenth century, restored. Recently, the Heritage Service of the Generalitat de Catalunya has drafted a special plan for the protection and development of the historic center of Besalú, which has not yet been approved.

History
The ancient documentation shows the form Bisuldunum (10th century), a name that is also found in Gaul, especially in Occitania. The old Bosoldó (Desclot, 153) with variant Besaldon (doc 1284, appendix to volume V of the Chronicle of Desclot). It also appears as Boldú that we find in another Boldú municipality.

The first evidence of human presence in the municipality of Besalú corresponds to the remains of a small oval hut located near Can Barraca, northwest of the current population, which was occupied at the end of the second millennium. lenni aC (1200 – 1100 aC). As for the town of Besalú, the oldest remains that have been documented consist of a small combustion structure from the first Iron Age (650 – 600 BC) found in La Devesa, at the foot of the Santa Maria hill.

Although there are still many doubts to be resolved, we do know that Besalú was a stable and important Iberian settlement as excavations carried out since the end of the 20th century in the historic center have uncovered numerous Iberian remains. The oldest are from the full Iberian period (350 – 250 BC).

During Roman times Besalú became a prosperous and dynamic urban center. The center, with its most important buildings, must have been located at the top of the Puig de Santa Maria, where the castle of the counts was built in medieval times. However, the extent of the Roman settlement must have been similar to that which it later occupied in the count’s time. It is noteworthy that the Via Annia passed near Besalú, as it allowed trade and the establishment of businesses and workshops in the area, such as the metallurgical workshop (1st century AD) discovered next to Sant Martí. of Capellada.

The lands that formed the county of Besalú became, after the Frankish conquest, at the end of the 8th century, a dependency of the county of Girona. Its territory did not acquire full autonomy until the territorial reorganization carried out by Guifré el Pelós at the end of the ninth century and became an independent county and separate from the influence of Girona.

Around the year 1,000, at the end of the Carolingian rule, Besalú was, without a doubt, one of the most important Catalan counties. It was not the largest but had a heterogeneous territory, ranging from the valleys of Camprodon to the districts of Banyoles and Figueres. Sometimes it can be surprising both in terms of its limits and its configuration: It includes the upper basin of the river Ter, the southeastern limit is extremely close to the city of Girona, the east side is from south to north the plain of the Empordà.

Throughout its history, Vallespir and Fenollet were also part of it. A key to understanding medieval Besalú is to properly assess the weight of the population of Besalú as a central place in a large territory that served as a link between the flat lands close to the coast, agricultural and commercial, and the highlands where livestock predominated.

The market of the town of Besalú is already documented in 1027, over the years its economic weight became very important. In the 14th century it was still the first shopping center in La Garrotxa, attended by farmers, artisans, merchants and traders from all over the area.

The gathering of many people who went there to sell and the fact that part of the income obtained destined them to buy products manufactured in the same village made all kinds of shops prosper: draperies, haberdashery, shoemakers, weavers and carpenters, among others. jobs.

Miró I the young, was the first independent count of Besalú since until 920 the county was united to Girona. From this moment the destiny of the county will be more united to the Pyrenean counties. He was followed in the Besalu count dynasty by Guifré II (who was assassinated), Sunifred, Miró Bonfill (founding bishop of three churches in Besalú), Oliba Cabreta (who expanded the territory to lands beyond the Pyrenees), Bernat I Tallaferro (who consolidated the county territory inherited from Cabreta and increased religious power: bearer of the True Cross and promoter of the Bishopric of Besalú in 1017), William I the Fat, William II the Thunder, Bernat II and possibly Bernat III (new studies consider that Bernat II and Bernat III could have been the same person).

20th century was a good time for the Abbot of the Monastery of Sant Pere as he was the highest representative of the administrative and religious power of Besalú until the arrival of Veguer.

Economy
From the middle to the 20th century, the agriculture stopped being the main activity because of urban growth and industrialization of the term. Barley, corn and hay crops predominate.

At present, the main sources of income are industry and tourism. Many of the industries were built as of 1960 and include textiles, metal and the exploitation of gypsum quarries. Tourism and in turn the tertiary sector is an important source of income thanks to historical monuments and some annual celebrations of cultural interest.

Guided Tours
Ars didáctica BesalúArs didàctica offers a fun and pedagogical service to make known and disseminate the cultural heritage and history of the town of Besalú.

Architectural heritage
Besalú’s heritage is based, in a very high percentage, on the monuments that make up the Medieval Village. It becomes difficult to find a villa with so much heritage per square meter. The buildings that make up our heritage range from religious temples to civil buildings of great interest. Obviously, the heritage left to us by the Jewish community that lived in Besalú from the 9th century to 1436 is remarkable. Besalú is one of the best-preserved medieval complexes in Catalonia. Its geographical location favored the settlement of settlements in ancient times and the meeting place of various cultures, which have enriched the town’s monumental heritage. You can take an orderly tour of the town as you stroll through the streets and squares, which retain a strong medieval flavor.

The county town of Besalú had a splendor that has been marked in its streets and monuments in such a way that they make it one of the most interesting and well-preserved medieval complexes in Catalonia. Undoubtedly, the geographical situation of Besalú favored the human settlement already before the medieval period and has made it the center of numerous archaeological works that over time have been giving consistency and value to a town that finds a “watershed” of cultures in their origins.

It is undeniable but the consistency and rotundity shown by the medieval legacy. Its history is detailed by observing the uniqueness of its buildings and walking through its streets steeped in history that make the visitor enjoy the small nooks and crannies where the stones still speak today. Our population began to have importance as the capital of an independent county after the death of Guifré el Pilós, a condition that he lost when Bernat III -son-son of Ramon Berenguer III- died due to lack of descendants. The origin of the city was the castle, which we find documented in the tenth century, located on top of a hill where there are the remains of the canonry of Santa Maria. The buildings we find represent one of the most remarkable monumental legacies of the Catalan medieval period.

In 1966 the town was declared a “National Historic-Artistic Complex” for its great architectural value. The textile, metallurgical and gypsum industries have been very important economic sectors in Besalú, but the conservation of the town makes the tourist sector remarkably rich. We have an area of 4.81 Km ², with approximately 2,500 inhabitants and we are located 150 m. above sea level.

Collegiate of Santa Maria
The primitive chapel of Santa Maria del Castell was a modest work, intended only for the religious service of the palace. A reform was documented in 1055, which suggests a Romanesque church of already consolidated dimensions. When from 1137 it became the seat of an Augustinian community, it had to undergo some indispensable transformations to adapt the constructions of the enclosure to the uses of the new spaces, and it was necessary to build a church according to the requirements of the new community. Recent excavations have uncovered the apses of the old count’s chapel inside the current head of Santa Maria. What is seen from here are the remains of what was one of the most important temples of the time. In the 18th century the central vault fell. The large bell tower to the north falls in 1938 during the civil war and the church of Sant Vicenç and the Romanesque bridge were rebuilt with stone.

Cornellà House
Considered one of the best-preserved examples of Romanesque civil architecture in Catalonia, it dates from the end of the 12th century and shows the characteristic structure of a noble house from the medieval period. The house consists of a ground floor where the stables and the dependencies of the service are, of a first plant with a gallery of semicircular arches, that was in a beginning the house of the Cornellà, whereas in the last floor is the bay. As a distinctive feature of the set stands out the structure, organized around a courtyard that allows to illuminate all the rooms. After hosting the Cornellà residence, the building passed into the hands of the Llaudes family, and is currently owned by the Solà-Morales family.

Royal Curia
Noble building dating from the 13th and 14th centuries which, after being inhabited by different Christian and Jewish families (Astruc David, 1300-1362), passed into the hands of the family of Bernat Cavaller, the king’s solicitor. At the top of the building, divided into three floors, is the Gothic room, which retains a 14th-century wooden coffered ceiling and magnificent pointed arches. The Espai Besalú interpretation center is located on the ground floor.

Monastery of Sant Pere
Only the church of the original Benedictine monastery has been preserved. This temple, which stands out for its grandeur, was founded in 977 by Count Bisbe Miró and consecrated in 1003 by the most important count in local history: Bernat I, known by the nickname of Tallaferro. The Benedictine community was initially made up of twelve monks. From 1111, the year in which the county became extinct, the abbot became the first authority of the population, and during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries the monastery enjoyed great political influence.

The church of Sant Pere has the peculiarity of having an ambulatory or corridor reserved for pilgrims in which the relics of Sant Prim and Sant Felicià were venerated; during the Middle Ages, in fact, the pilgrimage to the town was very important, as evidenced by the existence in the town of the old hospital of Sant Julià, intended to house pilgrims. The eight columns that separate the ambulatory from the high altar stand out for the sculptural decoration of the capitals, composed of biblical scenes, plant motifs and mythological animals. Within the same church are also the tombs of the most notable abbots of the monastery, as well as a mass grave in which the remains of the monks rest. The façade of Sant Pere has a very unique window in which the figures of two lions can be seen, a symbol of the strength, power and protection offered by the Church against evil and paganism, represented by an ape and a home.

Church of Sant Vicenç
The current parish of the village, documented since 977, at the time of Count Bisbe Miró, is a Romanesque church with some elements of transition to Gothic, as shown by the rose window and the window. Inside is the Gothic tomb of Pere de Rovira, who in 1413 moved the relics of San Vicenç to Besalú. A Gothic side chapel guards the Vera Creu, ceded by Francesc Cambó in 1923; this piece replaced the first, brought from Rome by Bernat Tallaferro in 1017 and stolen in 1899.

The Synagogue and the Micvé of Besalú
The Mitzvah and Jewish Bath was discovered in 1964 by the top and unexpectedly. It is the first building of its kind found in Spain and the third in Europe. This building is located on the site of the old Jewish Square and on the site of the Synagogue, documented in 1264. It is a Romanesque style underground room and is built of carved stone. It has a loophole window to the east, a barrel vault and a pool that was naturally filled with water from an already extinct spring. Its function was to purify the soul by total immersion of the body. The Jewish woman purified herself when she married, when she was to have a child, after childbirth, and once a month after menstruation. The religious man used to purify himself every Friday, before sunset, that is, before entering the Sabbath. There is now a part of the prayer hall and the courtyard of the synagogue, where the Jews decided much of the things that affected the community. About 20 Jewish families lived in Besalú during the medieval period until 1436, when they left for good.

Romanesque bridge
It is already documented that in the 11th century Besalú had a Romanesque bridge, which probably does not coincide with the shape of the bridge we see today according to UdG historians, during the period of Guillem el Gras count of Besalú (1030-1050). What happens is that in a flood of 1315 the bridge was destroyed “dirutus and destructus”, and that it was rebuilt thanks to the tax established by James II under the warning of the Besalu men. Over time, it has been rebuilt several times. It consists of seven arcades of characteristic angular shape due to the settlement of the pillars on the stones of the river, measuring 105m long and, with the tower included, about 30m high. In medieval times, the pagus comtal was installed in the fortified tower. It was necessary to pay 1 money for riding, 1 obol per person on foot, and the same amount per loaded beast.

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In 1881 there was no longer a defense tower or entrance portal. It is believed that it was due to the passage of textile machinery as the bridge was part of the main communication network and the tower was already in a very precarious state of preservation. It was blown up during the Civil War and later rebuilt in the 50s and 60s by the architect Pons Sorolla under the auspices of the General Directorate of Architecture. It is currently a symbol of the town and the most suitable point to access its old town.

Sant Julià
The church-hospital dates from the 12th century. It was founded by the counts of Besalú and built to take care of people who came on pilgrimage, but the monks of the monastery of Sant Pere had exclusive jurisdiction over it. Although the position of hospice was not documented until the fourteenth century the Benedictines cared for walkers and the poor who passed through the village as this activity is an intrinsic part of the rule of St. Benedict.

The façade of Sant Julià is one of the most beautiful preserved in this area. It has six successive graded archivolts or arches. Four capitals, three of which represent animal figures and a fourth Corinthian with acanthus leaves. From the legend of the creation of the Corinthian capital is born the myth of the plant that springs from the corpse of a god or a hero through the which saw a sign of immortality. Floral capitals in the Romanesque often have the value of a sign, in relation, above all, to the symbolism of numbers: number of leaves, petals, flowers or in relation to shapes. Three of the capitals show the same animal motif attached at the top and the mask in the middle. The architectural profile of Sant Julià makes it very similar to the church of Santa Maria de Porqueres. At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was used again as a hospital and now houses a socio-cultural center.

The Ganganell
Initially, the waters of the Ganganell separated the medieval town of Besalú from the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere, located on the outskirts of the town. With the expansion of the defensive layout in the 11th century AD, the torrent became the western boundary of the walled perimeter, while acting as a natural defensive moat. A few centuries later, however, the Ganganell had become an impediment to urban growth, which forced him to propose an ambitious project that included its channeling and coverage. Work began, at least in the section closest to the mouth, in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century, although it may have taken decades or centuries to complete, as evidenced by the diversity of existing construction styles. Currently the Ganganell is a unique heritage value of Besalú that is hidden from the visitor. However, thanks to new technologies, it has been possible to reconstruct it in 3D so that everyone can enjoy its architectural richness.

Archaeological heritage
In recent years, Besalú City Council has carried out a program of archaeological excavations that has made it possible to highlight the importance of Besalú during various historical periods. The following points stand out for their tourist interest:

The Synagogue
In December 2002, archaeological work began on the area on the east side of the Jewish Square. The excavations, which lasted until 2005, revealed the remains of a building identified as the synagogue. This building must be understood as a set of rooms for specific purposes. The prayer room, with the women’s gallery on a higher level and separate from the men’s space, where the community met not only for religious reasons but also to resolve issues related to the mosque (whether it was the collection of ‘some tax, whether it was a complaint between members of the community,…). The courtyard where the various festivities and weddings were held. The school where classes were given to both children (boys and girls) and young “teenagers” and the micvé where the purification baths of both people (men and women) and objects (such as the purification for immersion of all glass and metal tableware used in the Jewish Passover). Thanks to the documentary study, it was also possible to interpret almost completely the entire structure of this unique building in Catalonia and Spain.

The Can Barraca Necropolis
While carrying out the works on the A-26 motorway, several archaeological remains were documented: 1 burial in a pit without an urn; 9 burials in an insulated ceramic urn; 4 burials with complex structures: the mounds; 1 large oval structure. The cinerary urns of this site can be seen in the Espai Besalú interpretation center.

The Subirós mill
The remains of the building known as the Subirós mill, at the end of the Font descent and at the southern end of the historic center, were the subject of an archaeological intervention and subsequent restoration. As the name suggests, this is an old flour mill that used the power of irrigation water. In fact, we find documentary evidence of mills in this area as early as the 10th century and, in the 14th century, there must have been a few because then the next Portal dels Horts was known as the Portal dels Molins. However, the inscription preserved on the lintel of the main door dates back to the current work in 1755, although the mill functioned well into the twentieth century.

The collapse of the roofs and the progressive ruin completely hung the interior with remnants of rubble and rubble. Once emptied, the internal structure appeared, centered on a flour mill and a squid-like square. The water collected from the irrigation was accumulated in a pond attached to the top of the mill that was expressly enclosed. Through a vertical duct and a door, the water came down under pressure to the carcaba, the underground part of the mill, where it moved a blade turbine and the straight iron shaft that, on the upper floor, turned the stone for grinding wheat. The mechanism of the Subirós mill shows a way of doing things that has now disappeared but which in Roman and medieval times and until very recently was representative and almost exclusive of the industrial activity of towns and cities.

The Roman villa of Can Ring
The Can Ring site was discovered by Martirià Costa, then mayor of the town, after collecting several fragments of Roman pottery on the surface of a crop field. The discovery generated great interest, and in January 1959 a first survey was carried out in the area. A few months later, in October 1960, the partial excavation of the site began under the direction of Marta Corominas, daughter of the illustrious doctor and prehistorian Josep M. Corominas. The performance revealed several rooms, some paved, that were part of a Roman villa occupied from the late second century BC to the first half of the third century AD. A large number of fragments of mural painting were recovered, intended to adorn the walls of the residential part of the complex, as well as various ceramic material (South-Gallic TS, Campaniana B…), metal objects and three coins.

The work, however, did not have continuity during the following years and it is necessary to wait until 1986 to find the following intervention in the place, which consisted of the realization of 8 soundings, only one of which gave positive. In 1995, a follow-up was carried out on the east side of the field, next to the old road from Besalú to Palera, to install a natural gas station, and finally in 2005 the University of Girona carried out a set. of ditches in the area with the aim of delimiting the approximate extension of the site. However, the villa – the only one documented to date in La Garrotxa – continues to present numerous questions.

The neighborhood of Capellada
capelladaFor much of the Middle Ages, the area outside the wall between the Capellada stream and the river Fluvià was occupied by the neighborhood of Capellada (12th – 15th century AD), organized around the church. parish of Sant Martí. In the excavations several structures of the old suburb were discovered, that was left after the earthquakes of 1427 and 1428. In 2013, after six years of interventions, the inauguration of the archaeological walk of Capellada took place, where visitors can take a tour of the past of Besalú and see in situ remains that cover almost two millennia of history.

The excavation in Santa Maria
The site where the old church of Santa Maria de Besalú is located is part of a much larger property that includes much of the castle grounds. The property affected by the remains draws a kind of rectangle about 50 m long maximum and 23 m wide. The place is dominated by the Romanesque capital which is the element that has come from the old Augustinian priory of Santa Maria. The current ruins depict a mature Romanesque temple consisting of three naves with transepts, a central apse and two side apses. Although the remains are declared a Historic-Artistic Monument, very little physical data was known and practically none that would allow us to glimpse an evolutionary interpretation.

Events and festivals
In Besalú several fairs and artisan markets are celebrated during the year. The most outstanding and important are the “Medieval Besalú” (first weekend of September), the “Ratafia Fair” (first weekend of December), the “Besalú Jewish city” (early March), ” Herbesalú “(end of June),” Liberisliber “in early October and the” Iron Fair “for Easter.

Tonight, Besalú
Do you want to know the municipality of Besalú in a different way? The town opens its doors to you on a theatrical night visit: “Tonight, Besalú”. A story they want to turn into a legend is the son-in-law, the alleys of the historic center its setting, and multitude of characters the actors. Witches, lovers, buffoons, bartenders, gentlemen, dancers and ladies ready to make you live the humor and its adventures.

Besalú, Jewish City
Besalú Jewish City is a celebration of historical recreation focused on the evocation of the medieval Jewish community of Besalú of which significant evidence is preserved such as the synagogue and the Jewish ritual baths or micvé. In early March, through the streets of the town it is possible to travel back in time and go back to the Middle Ages. You can enjoy live Sephardic music, lectures, theatrical guided tours, typical gastronomy, medieval market, children’s activities…

Medieval Besalú
The Medieval Besalú, a weekend during which Besalú goes back a thousand years to transform the historic center into a unique set, where fantasy and history transport the visitor to the old County of Besalú. The value of the architectural and historical ensemble of the town makes it one of the most important and unique examples of the medieval complexes of Catalonia and for two days, the streets, people, shops, buildings, the river promenade, the walls, squares and corners, do not escape the influence of the Medieval Fair.

Taste Besalú
In 2013, Degusta Besalú, a home-made cheese and beer fair, began. Cheese and beer, two products that are handcrafted, take on an unbeatable shape and flavor. Under this premise was held the Degusta Besalú, a fair that took place during a spring weekend. Degusta Besalú was held in the Plaza Mayor in Besalu. The character of own elaboration was the greater singularity of the products of the fair. With the purchase of a ticket, the visitor had the opportunity to have five tastings, plus a glass of wine and a tongue with nuts, courtesy of the bakers of the village, who from 2014 joined the initiative for the their affinities with the temperament of this.

Fair of blacksmiths and iron artists
Besalú hosts the best blacksmiths and blacksmiths of the Catalan Countries every Easter, under the organization of the Acunç, Recerca i Divulgació Association. Furnaces, sparks of fire and hammer blows on the anvils are the protagonists of this unique fair which, in addition to being a space where we can enjoy live demonstrations by the aforementioned master craftsmen, we can also enjoy an exceptional sample of pieces of art made of iron, of which blacksmiths from various countries of the world are authors.

Besalú Iron Fair – photo by Laura R. GrauThe trades of iron and fire embraced besides the own one of blacksmith, other specialties like the farrier or manescal, the blacksmith (uses the forging of the metal in the fire and from his hands they arise zippers or calemástecs, vane, tripods, teapots, and hook lights…), the locksmith or locksmith (makes locks, bolts, shelves and other iron objects such as bars, lizards, knobs, balconies, hinges, latches…), the blacksmith or blacksmith (manufactures tools for cutting and agricultural implements), the knife, the dagger or spacer (forges, marinades or sells knives, daggers or swords), the nailer (makes nails), the lime chopper (soaks and makes the abrasive passes of the files)

The smithy is the blacksmith’s workshop. Due to the importance of the trade as an auxiliary to the most diverse activities, the smithies had traditionally been an important meeting place. In Catalonia, the first documentary references to ironworkers are found in the ninth century related to the Pyrenean forges, although ironwork dates back to much earlier periods. Besalú Iron FairIron oxides, despite being very abundant in nature, need a high degree of development of furnace technology to obtain iron. That is why they were the last to join the metallurgy.

Ratafia Fair
Besalú Ratafia Fair, craft market, exhibition, tasting and sale of ratafias from Catalonia. Choice of the best Ratafia of the year in Besalú. About 25 people take part in the competition, it is essential that they are from Besalú in order to obtain a traditional and typical food product from Besalú since, once the winner has been chosen by the experts, some 700 bottles of liquor are packaged. Tasting and sale of ratafias de Catalunya in Plaça de la Llibertat and market of typical products and artisans in Prat de Sant Pere.

Fira LiberLiberis
Liberisliber is the annual fair of unknown books, where you will have the opportunity to discover, in a place as magical as Besalú and in the middle of a big party full of activities related to literature – lots of authors, stories and artistic books singulars. Independent publishers from all over will come to Besalú and offer you the novelties of their catalog, which are not always easy to find. You will discover his philosophy and you will see exceptional books by novice authors, reprints of classics, artist, translations of alternative foreign books, unique historical studies, contemporary poetry, books that question the same format of the book… A whole series of surprises that t ‘wait when you come, surrounded by people who love literature.

Natural space
Besalú belongs to the Comarca de la Garrotxa, located in the north of Catalonia, in the upper basin of the river Fluvià, the headwaters of the Muga and the Amer and Llémena streams. In this region you can see two completely different types of landscape. While for much of the southern half there are more than 40 volcanoes and several lava flows, forming a gentle landscape without many slopes, protected by the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa, from the river valley. Flowing north the landscape changes radically, becoming steeper and steeper with abundant cliffs and gorges. It is the high Garrotxa, an area declared an Area of Natural Interest. All these areas, together with others, such as the river Fluvià, are part of the Natura 2000 Network, in a European initiative to protect the most unique, diverse, rare, well-preserved, representative, fragile or vulnerable natural spaces that they connect with others of the same characteristics.

The climate of La Garrotxa is Mediterranean with medium mountains. Rainfall is abundant throughout the year, and winter is the driest season. Frequent rains generate cool summers, while the influence of the Pyrenees makes winters cold. The vegetation is a reflection of the climate. While in the upper Garrotxa and in the east of the region there is a sector of Mediterranean vegetation, the rest of the region is covered by sub-Mediterranean vegetation that passes to the Atlantic in the wettest points. The holm oak grove is characteristic of the sunny slopes of the eastern sector, with relatively dry and hot summers, the oak grove is the forest that would predominate in the rest of the areas, and the beech forest is the forest that would be found in the wetter sectors.

Roca de Manyac
It was one of the boundaries of St. Peter’s direct property. In 977, Count-Bishop Miró included it in the donations to the monastery. The name he received was “Mambra”. It says the writing “ipsa petra quam vocant Mambra”

The garden of the Ratafia
Garden of the Ratafia of BesalúThe classic Catalan ratafia is made following a traditional and meticulous ritual that pursues both medicinal and digestive properties and an exquisite palate. It is prepared from a complex formula of herbs, spices and fruits, including green or tender nuts. Syrup or sugar is then added to this cordial preparation to make it a tasty liqueur. The best time to make walnut ratafia is in late June, when the walnuts are still green and tender. We can work with freshly harvested herbs, but it will be easier for us to adjust the desired taste using the dried ones, as will also happen with spices.

Fluvià River
River Fluvià BesalúThe riparian vegetation, in addition to providing shelter and food for a lot of small forest birds and wildlife in general, ensures the protection of the river banks against erosion, purifies dirty water by filtering with its roots, it slows down the floods and creates a microclimate of pleasant temperature around it, from which the town of Besalú benefits.

The orchards of Besalú
Orchards of BesalúSince the foundation of the monastery of Sant Pere, all this part of the orchards has been integrated into the direct domain of the abbey: it is the property in emphyteusis or lordship. In medieval times the orchards were known as the orchard of Sant Pere. Purchases, sales and establishments often appear in medieval documentation. Any owner paid a census to the monastery in recognition of his lordship. Capbreves are often found about these monastic properties. It seems that from 1835, with the confiscation of Mendizábal, they would have passed into private hands and have remained so to this day.

Activities

Horseback riding
Horseback riding classes, routes and pony rides, tutoring, summer camps, dressage… discover a myriad of activities related to horses and nature.

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