A Walk Through Monells, A Medieval Town On The Costa Brava
Just 24 kilometers from Girona you can take a walk through Monells. It is one of the most charming villas on the Costa Brava. Its cobbled streets give off a medieval air that recalls the time when it was a site built around the old castle of the Viscounts of Bas, of which the walls are still preserved.
Monells is a very special village. It belongs to the municipality of Cruïlles, Monells and Sant Sadurní de l’Heura. It is crossed by the Rissec river, which divides the town into two neighborhoods.
Part of its walls and towers are in the Romanesque style, while the Plaza del Aceite and Calle de los Arcos are Gothic. It is this wonderful architecture that reflects the evolution of this town, it is protected by the European Cultural Heritage. Do you want to see what awaits you on a walk through Monells? Join us.
What to see on a walk through Monells
If you have seen the film Eight Catalan surnames , surely this place is familiar to you, which stars in many of its scenes. Of course, the original name of his heart is not ‘Pep Guardiola square’, as they call it on the tape. Through that square we begin our journey.
Jaume I square
At the end of the 17th century, the Plaza Mayor, today Plaza de Jaume I, hosted the market. In fact, it was one of the great sites of the old Empordà region.
Its porticoes decorated with vines will captivate you and transport you back centuries. A perfect place, also, to taste some of the typical dishes of Catalan gastronomy. In the surroundings of the square you will find several restaurants.
Church of Sant Genís
It is in the Gothic style with baroque details. The primitive church appears for the first time in writings from 1018 and lasted until the end of the thirteenth century or the beginning of the fourteenth. Therefore, the one that can be seen today is a later and more spacious version.
This church, which you must visit on your walk through Monells, is part of the Riera neighborhood. This, together with the Castell neighborhood, make up the parts of the division that makes up the Rissec stream.
Hermitage of Sant Joan de Salelles
It was built between the 10th and 11th centuries. It is one of the first Romanesque churches that has reached a very good state of conservation to this day.
On the midday façade there is an access door with a semicircular arch and in the apse a small, very narrow opening, of the loophole type, can be seen. In the Girona Art Museum there is still a reliquary and a wooden lipsanoteca from the 12th century that come from this church.
Palauet de Monells
It is a manor house from the early seventeenth century. It is currently a six-room hotel. It is located in Plaça de Jaume I and preserves the spirit of the time, showing its large hall with a Catalan volta.
Oil Square Los Arcos street
Smaller than the Plaza de Jaume I, although also porticoed, the Plaza del Aceite is located in the eastern part of Monells. For its part, Carrer del Arcs, or Calle de los Arcos, is an example of a typical narrow, cobbled street, marked by the windows of the houses.
Other towns near Monells
We said that Monells belongs to a municipality also made up of Cruilles and Sant Sadurní de l’Heura. In Cruilles, don’t forget to visit the Sant Miquel de Cruïlles monastery. Neither the church of Santa Eulàlia de Cruïlles, and the hermitage of Mare de Déu de l’Esperança.
But in this town the Torre del Castell stands out above all, a vestige of an old castle from the 10th century. The renovations allowed it to be climbed up a spiral staircase today.
For its part, Sant Sadurní de l’Heura is the largest of the three towns. Its historic center is located at the foot of Les Gavarres and is one of the favorite destinations for hiking enthusiasts.
