Sanaüja: Discover the Riera, Buildings and History

Sanaüja lies in the narrow valley of the Riera de Sanaüja of the same name. The land around the town is predominantly used for dry farming; there are also areas devoted to almond, olive and wine growing. This combination of the valley and its agriculturally shaped surroundings defines the character of the town.

Landscape

The Camí de la Font runs along the right bank of the Riera de Sanaüja, surrounded by orchards.

La Font de Ferro is a rest and recreational area protected by centuries-old plane trees.

The landscape therefore brings together different spatial forms: a path that follows the course of the Riera and a separate area protected by its tree population. The orchards accompany the path, while the old plane trees define the character of the resting area. The land around Sanaüja also displays several forms of use, as predominantly dry farming is complemented by almond, olive and wine growing. The narrow valley connects these agricultural areas with the watercourse without resulting in a uniform landscape form.

Culture

The present-day parish church of Santa Maria de la Plaça in Sanaüja is a Late Gothic building constructed between 1509 and 1515.

The bell tower of Sanaüja is located elsewhere, on Plaça Major. Thus, although the church and bell tower belong to the history of the town, they do not stand in the same place.

Pont de Sanaüja is a Romanesque-style bridge built between the 14th and 15th centuries. The structure has two arches, a separating breakwater and a small arch at the northern end.

Els Portals in Sanaüja comprises four surviving entrance gates connected to the former town wall. The gates therefore point to the former fortifications and the historic structure of the town.

Outside the village stands the Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Pla, a rectangular building. Santa Rita is venerated at one of its altars. The building and the altar mentioned are further religious testimonies in the surroundings of Sanaüja.

The historic testimonies thus range from a Late Gothic church building through a Romanesque bridge and surviving gates to a sanctuary outside the village. At the same time, the information represents different periods and architectural forms: the parish church was built between 1509 and 1515, Pont de Sanaüja between the 14th and 15th centuries, while Els Portals are connected to the former town wall. The bell tower is located separately on Plaça Major, and in the Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Pla, the altar refers to the veneration of Santa Rita.

History

On 17 December 1583, Josep Calassanç was ordained a priest in the chapel of the Bishop's Palace of Castell de Sanaüja.

The event has been handed down with a precisely dated day and a clearly named location within the Bishop's Palace. In addition to the buildings in the town, a historic place of ordination is therefore also part of Sanaüja's thematic surroundings.

Geographical Setting

The C-1412 regional road runs near Sanaüja. It connects Calaf and Ponts and is linked to the road to Guissona. Sanaüja is therefore integrated into a regional road network whose connections lead in several directions.

The road forms a regional connection with three explicitly named reference points: Sanaüja lies near its route, Calaf and Ponts are connected to each other, and the link provides a further connection to Guissona. The geographical description thus remains limited to the named road network and its connections.

Find more places here: Os De Civís, El Pi de Sant Just, Travesseres, Aravell, Les Valls D'aguilar, Salàs de Pallars, Cabanabona and Castell Del Remei.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lleida.