Castellbò – Castle Ruins, Santa Maria and Hiking Trail

Castellbò Castle was demolished in 1513 on the orders of Ferdinand the Catholic. The ruins of the former Castellbò Castle are located on the hill above the village. The fortifications include a surviving tower with rounded corners and fragments of the former walls. The visible remains therefore comprise both part of a defensive structure and preserved sections of the former enclosure.

Culture

Santa Maria de Castellbò is a church dating from the late 13th century. It displays Romanesque influences and a transition towards the Gothic style. The narrow, winding streets of Castellbò lead to a small square where the large collegiate church of Santa Maria de Castellbò stands. This collegiate church was built in 1436 by Pope Eugene IV. Its architectural history therefore links a church from the late 13th century with the later collegiate church erected on the village’s small square.

The west portal of Santa Maria de Castellbò features stepped pointed arches. The portal includes ornamental ironwork in the Romanesque tradition. The shape of the arches and the surviving ironwork are distinctive details of the church portal. In front of the village, a small medieval single-arch bridge crosses the Castellbò River. It is therefore located outside the village and forms part of the architectural heritage at its immediate entrance.

Coming from la Trobada, the Creu del Pal stands at the entrance to Castellbò: a hewn stone cross mounted on a masonry pillar. The present-day cross is an exact replica of the former cross that stood at the entrance to Castellbò until the Spanish Civil War. The Creu del Pal thus brings together its present location at the village entrance and the recorded history of the former cross.

Hiking

The Castellbò–Sendes–Solanell circular hiking trail begins at the car park at the entrance to Castellbò. It passes through the now-abandoned settlement of Sendes. The trail also runs through Solanell, which is undergoing a process of reconstruction.

For most of its length, the circular hiking trail follows a narrow path through a varied landscape. There are two viewpoints along the way. The route therefore consists predominantly of a narrow path and also includes two explicitly designated viewpoints. The starting point and the route are connected at the entrance to Castellbò.

Traditions

The Festa Major of Castellbò is celebrated on 15 August. The celebration includes a communal dinner. Dancing takes place in the afternoon and evening. Children’s games are also part of the Festa Major. A festive mass is held as well. The festival therefore includes activities spread throughout the day, along with the communal dinner and the mass as additional components.

Other Places

Other places: Llesp, Fondarella, Baix Pallars, La Noguera, Arsèguel, Bossòst, Torrefarrera, Peramola

To the higher-level travel overview: Lleida.