Cruïlles: Torre de l'Homenatge and routes through the Gavarres

Culture

Cruïlles preserves the Torre de l'Homenatge of the former castle, which stands isolated in the middle of the village square of the same name. The tower has a circular ground plan and is 26 metres high. From the Torre de l'Homenatge, there is an exceptional view of the monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles in front of the Gavarres. Its free-standing position, round shape and considerable height give the building a clearly recognisable form in the centre of the village.

The Benedictine monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles belongs to the Catalan Romanesque tradition. The church of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles contains Romanesque wall paintings that were discovered in 1930 and have been preserved in situ to this day. The church also preserves a Romanesque stone baptismal font bearing the inscription “1232 FONS”. The monastery, wall paintings and baptismal font thus bring together Romanesque architecture, preserved painting and an inscribed stone furnishing.

The Biga de Cruïlles is a polychrome beam featuring human figures. It is one of the few examples in Europe of a polychrome beam with human figures dating from the 12th or 13th century, and it comes from the Benedictine monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles. It is believed that the Biga was the main element of a canopy over the high altar of the Romanesque basilica. The beam therefore represents both a rare example of medieval figurative art and its presumed original function within the church.

The main altarpiece of Cruïlles is also associated with a precisely dated history of its creation: it was commissioned on 12 November 1416 by Lluís Borrassà and Sanxa, the widow of Jaspert de Campllong. The commission thus names both the painter and the patron, placing the altarpiece within the art history of the early 15th century.

History

The present-day church of Santa Eulàlia dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The hermitage of Mare de Déu d’Esperança already existed in the 15th century. Together with the Torre de l'Homenatge and the former town walls, the historical record therefore stretches from medieval structures to a church building of the early modern period. The former walls of Cruïlles preserve many almost intact sections of their course, so that the former line of fortifications is still preserved as a built structure in numerous places.

Nature

The Ruta pels antics veïnats de Rabioses i Pastells is a circular route that follows the Pastells stream into the foothills of the Gavarres. It follows the stream's shaded valley floor through lush holm oak and alder woods.

Visiting

Access to the interior of the monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles is administered by the culture department of the Consell Comarcal del Baix Empordà.

Other destinations: El Prat de Llobregat, Mollet de Peralada, Llers, Sant Andreu Salou, Foixà, Palafrugell, Cervià De Ter, Riells i Viabrea

To the higher-level travel overview: Girona.