Discover Navata: Churches, Castle Traces and the Empordà Plain

Navata Castle has been documented since 1051; at that time, it was transferred to Count Bernat of Besalú, who established the Barony of Navata. The historic centre of Navata is a small village centre with narrow streets and remnants of an old fortification. The castle tradition and the preserved village centre therefore point to the medieval development of the settlement.

History

The façades on Carrer de la Muralla were built on the southern wall of the former fortified district from the 15th and 16th centuries. The best-preserved section of the wall of Navata Castle is the western section, which adjoins a cylindrical tower at the south-western corner. On Carrer de la Muralla, the former fortification can therefore be recognised not only as a freestanding section of wall, but also as part of the present-day row of houses.

Culture

Construction of Sant Pere de Navata began on 22 December 1638 and was completed in 1746. The parish church of Sant Pere de Navata is a large 17th-century religious building. Inside, there are very well-preserved murals from the 18th century. The construction period and the murals created later therefore belong to different centuries, both of which are visible in the same church.

In Can Miró, the parish church dedicated to Saint Peter already existed in 1019. The church of Sant Esteve de Canelles in Canelles, south of Navata, dates from the Romanesque period of the 11th or 12th century and was later extensively remodelled. Sant Pere de Navata, the church in Can Miró and Sant Esteve de Canelles therefore document three religious buildings from different historical periods in the surrounding area.

Paths and Castle Remains

The ruins of Navata Castle lie 2 km from the village; access is difficult. The distance is documented as a specific figure, while the difficult access affects the nature of the visit. The ruins therefore form a separate destination outside the small village centre.

The route through medieval Navata is signposted and documented. It enables visitors to explore the narrow streets and discover the history of the settlement. On this route, the streets and historical traces of medieval Navata are the focus; the route links the walk through the village with its recorded history.

Other places: Ripoll, El Prat de Llobregat, Vilajuiga, Fornells De La Selva, Sant Jaume De Llierca, Roses, Palau De Santa Eulàlia, Banyoles

Landscape

BTT Route 10, “Masies del vent de Navata i Lladó”, runs along the northern slope of the municipality of Navata and offers magnificent views of the Empordà Plain. The route name refers to Navata and Lladó, while its course is defined along the northern slope of the municipality. In landscape terms, the route looks out across the Empordà Plain and complements the historic impressions of the village with an open landscape.

For the higher-level travel overview: Girona.