Claravalls: Nature, Culture and History

Nature

The Reguer de Claravalls route begins south of Claravalls at the junction with the C-14 road. The C-14 runs through Claravalls. This road connects Tàrrega with Agramunt.

The southern starting point at the C-14 and the continuation towards the Canal d’Urgell give the route a clearly defined spatial framework. Between Claravalls and the Canal d’Urgell, the route runs through the Plans de Sió Natura 2000 site. A section located south of the Canal d’Urgell runs through the Anglesola-Vilagrassa Natura 2000 site. The route crosses the Canal d’Urgell via a bridge.

Thus, both the area north of the canal and the section located to the south form part of the route described. The Salats del reguer de Claravalls are a plain. It is periodically flooded. Its soils are clayey and saline. Les Vinyasses is an area of dry farming. Cereals and almond trees grow there. At Les Vinyasses, you can observe lesser kestrels. Woodchat shrikes and European rollers can also be observed there. The Bassa de Claravalls is a small pond on the Reguer de Claravalls.

The landscape therefore combines different, clearly identified elements: a periodically flooded plain, dry farmland with cereals and almond trees, and a small pond on the Reguer de Claravalls. In Les Vinyasses, dry farming is complemented by three observable bird species. The Reguer de Claravalls links several of these natural features through the names of the plain, the pond and the route.

Culture

The Mare de Déu dels Arcs hermitage houses a stone representation of the Virgin of Els Arcs. The representation dates from the 14th century.

The Creu de Terme de Claravalls is a Gothic wayside cross. It dates from the 15th century.

The stone representation and the Gothic wayside cross identify two different historical cultural features in Claravalls, each with its own chronological classification. Both are among the town’s specific architectural and commemorative sites.

History

The former settlement of Claravalls was walled; today, only the entrance gate on Carrer de l’Església remains. The original Castell de Claravalls dates from the 11th century. The medieval Castell de Claravalls was built at the highest point of the settlement.

The town’s history is therefore reflected in the surviving entrance gate and former fortifications, as well as in the original Castell. Its location at the highest point of the settlement is expressly part of the historical description of the medieval building.

Townscape

The Plaça de l’Església is suitable for a walk through medieval Claravalls. Carrer del Forn and Carrer del Centre are also suitable for this purpose.

The parish functions of Sant Salvador de Claravalls were moved to the Mare de Déu dels Arcs temple, located outside the old town centre. Sant Salvador de Claravalls is a neoclassical church. Its new building was constructed in the 17th or 18th century.

The townscape thus includes paths through the medieval settlement as well as the named churches and squares. The parish functions and the new church building of Sant Salvador de Claravalls are distinguished in time and space from the Mare de Déu dels Arcs outside the old town centre.

Other Places

Other linked places are: Brics, Les Avellanes, Vilac, Palou, Balaguer, Enviny, Vilalba dels Arcs, Mollerussa.

To the overarching travel overview: Lleida.