Besalú – A Walk Down Medieval Lanes
Besalú is located in the middle of la Garrotxa, Girona province, 20 kilometres away from Olot and 30 away from Girona city. It is one of the Medieval towns which has managed to preserve best its historical centre (declared of National historical-artistic interest), easy to get to and perfect to make a stop on the way and be able to experience the rhythm and lifestyle of centuries past.
Besalú’s distinctive feature is its magnificent Medieval bridge over the waters of the Fluvià river. This seven-arch Romanesque brigde, re-built in several occasions, was built in the Middle Ages, allowing visitors access to the town. Its very particular, angled shape has made it become Besalú’s main feature. At its entrance there is a door in the fortified tower where Medieval travellers had to pay a toll if they wanted to cross the river at that point.
The first settlers in Besalú go back several centuries before Christ, but the village made its place in history in 894 a.d., when Wilfred The Hairy made it the capital of an independent county, which he gave to his brother Radulf. The latter founded a hereditary dynasty which ended in 1111, when Count Bernard III died without legitimate offspring.
That’s when the County of Besalú was absorbed by Barcelona County, losing its autonomy and hence marking the end of its Golden Age. Fortunately the monuments built during that time are still standing. Shortly after its creation as an independent County the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter was founded, which was active up until the beginning of the 19th century, when its main buildings were destroyed in order to make room for a large square. St. Peter’s church is still standing in the square nowadays, nevertheless, displaying a magnificent array of statues and capitals. The Romanesque-Gothic church of St. Vicenç is of a later age, and its most distinctive feature is the large rose window in the front façade.
During the 13th century, having lost its independent status already, Besalú had a large Jewish community, which lived in buildings around what ended up being called the Jewish Square, which was where the synagogue was located. There you can visit a mikvah or ritual bath, with a subterranean chamber where a pool with filtered water still exists. Jews used to go and use the bath in order to purify themselves before carrying out sacred rituals (after having handled a corpse, or women after having given birth). All the call or Jewish quarter still preserves its Medieval aspect nowadays, as does the Plaza Mayor (16th century), where back in the day there were the Justice Palace and the Vegueria (important feudal land division in the Principality of Catalonia). This wide space, surrounded by arches, houses several interesting buildings: the Local Government building, Curia Real, the Sant Romà Palace, the Casa de la Font, the Portal de la Força… It is this centre that has earned the town the denomination of historic-artistic site of National Interest. Every Tuesday the Plaza Mayor attracts the crowds to its weekly market.
Besalú’s population swells during the summer months, when local tourists go to enjoy its many festivals and fairs organised by the Local Council. Locals and visitors alike busy themselves taking part in exciting festivities like the caracolada (snails feast) in July or the regatta down the Fluvià River in September, as well as the yearly Medieval Fair which re-enacts the many Medieval crafts and activities over five centuries old.
Tags: Girona province · Hidden places · Mountain · One-day trips · Popular places
#1 infocostabrava.com says...
