Cabanelles – Romanesque Churches and the Romeria de la Mare de Déu del Mont

Cabanelles lies within the natural and cultural surroundings of Salines-Bassegoda in Alt Empordà. Romanesque architecture and visible church ruins shape the cultural landscape; at the same time, Cabanelles is associated with peaceful walks in the Espai Natural de l’Alta Garrotxa. The G-05 Salines-Bassegoda mountain-bike routes passing through Cabanelles add a sporting route to this connection with the area. At the beginning of June, the Romeria de la Mare de Déu del Mont is celebrated with a communal rice meal and dancing.

Other places to discover include Ultramort, Riudellots De La Selva, Cadaqués, Susqueda, Marzà, Toses, Puigcerdá and Can Jordi.

Culture

Romanesque religious architecture appears here in different chronological and structural forms. The Església de Sant Martí de Queixàs is a Romanesque temple from the 11th and 12th centuries with additions from the 13th century. In Vilademires stands the Església de Sant Mateu, a Romanesque church from the 12th and 13th centuries. Sant Martí Sesserres is a single-nave church with a pointed barrel vault and a semicircular apse; it can be dated to the second half of the 12th century.

The Església de Santa Coloma is a late Romanesque church from the end of the 12th or the beginning of the 13th century. Its single-nave interior has a pointed vault and a semicircular apse. The wooden door features remarkable ironwork, so alongside the spatial form, a craft detail also stands out in this building.

Sant Miquel de la Cirera has a rectangular nave and a heavily collapsed semicircular apse. Beside the Cal Magre farmhouse, the ruins of the church of Sant Cristòfor de l'Estela are still visible. The state of preservation therefore ranges from clearly recognisable church interiors to structural remains located directly beside a farmhouse.

Santa Maria de l'Estela is a late Romanesque church probably dating from the end of the 12th century. Its single-nave interior has a pointed vault. The portal consists of three stepped archivolts and has a simple lintel and a plain tympanum. It is precisely the combination of an enclosed church interior and carefully described entrance design that gives this building its own architectural character.

Routes

The road towards Mare de Déu del Mont leads to the church of Sant Martí Sesserres; from a junction, the route continues for approximately 300 metres to the building. The hamlet of l'Estela can be reached from Cistella via a mountain track that is difficult for cars. Church visits can be combined with checking the current opening hours before setting out. For routes to individual buildings, current route conditions and information about accessibility by vehicle should be checked in advance. For the Romeria, the date and event time should be checked before travelling, as the celebration takes place at the beginning of June. Mountain-bike tours also require checking the latest route information. Such preparations depend on the specific plan: for a celebration, the date matters; for a route, the current conditions; and for a visit, the applicable opening hours.

For the broader travel overview: Girona.