Gerri de la Sal: Medieval Town Ensemble and Salt Culture

Gerri de la Sal preserves an enclosed medieval town ensemble. The town has been classified as a cultural asset of national interest in the category of historic ensemble. Its distinctive character is evident both in its dense development and in the connection between salt history, historic buildings and traditional festival traditions.

Culture

The Real Alfolí de Gerri is the former salt warehouse of Gerri de la Sal and now houses the Museu de Gerri de la Sal. The building comprises three floors of 640 m² each and a roof; its current form dates back to an extension carried out in the 18th century. The museum is located in the upper part of the town on Plaça Àngel Esteve, popularly known as Plaça del Mercadal. It can be reached on foot via Carrer del Mig or Carrer Sant Sebastià.

The Romanesque bridge of Gerri dates from the 11th century and crosses the Noguera Pallaresa. It provides access to the Monestir de Santa Maria de Gerri. The Torre de la Presó de Gerri is a medieval defensive tower dating from the 13th century.

History

The saltworks of Gerri de la Sal consist of irregularly arranged pools. Their stone walls vary in shape and are coated with clay. The pools were supplied with water from a salt spring near the town. The extracted salt was produced through evaporation in the heat. At the Alfolí and the saltworks, visitors can learn about the complete process of extracting, processing, storing and marketing salt. The focus is therefore not only on the pools themselves, but also on the additional stages through which the salt passed, from water through processing to storage and marketing.

Geographical Setting

The narrow strip of land along the river on which Gerri de la Sal developed lies between the Noguera Pallaresa and the mountain. The buildings form a long row running from north to south, with structures arranged one above another and in terraces. The alignment and stepped elevation of the houses make the spatial relationship between the river, mountain and town centre immediately visible.

Tradition

The Morisca remains a living traditional dance in Gerri de la Sal and an outstanding expression of Catalan folklore. The Ball de la Morisca is a traditional dance performed as part of the Festa Major of Gerri de la Sal; it takes place on the third Sunday in August. It is danced in pairs, with the refrain repeated thirteen times. The female dancer strikes the ground twice with her heel while Trabucaires fire from the balconies of Plaça Sant Feliu. In these recurring movements, the prescribed number of refrain lines and the firing from the balconies, the dance sequence and festival events come together in a traditional form.

Nature

A rafting or kayaking route through the Geoparc Orígens runs through landscapes shaped by the Noguera Pallaresa and provides an opportunity to explore the medieval heritage of Gerri de la Sal.

For the main travel overview: Baix Pallars.