Sant Guim de la Plana: History, Nature and Festivals

Townscape and History

The Castell de Sant Guim de la Plana is a large manor house and dominates the old town. The first documentary reference to the Castell de Sant Guim de la Plana dates from 1065 and is found in the will of Enmengarda. The documented history of the townscape therefore reaches back to the Middle Ages, while the manor house itself continues to define the perception of the old town.

The bell tower of Santa Maria de Sant Guim de la Plana bears the date 1870. Santa Maria de Sant Guim de la Plana also preserves sections of the walls of an older building. The church therefore brings together a dated bell tower and older wall remains; both details are among the visible historical features of the town.

Nature and Trails

The Pou de Madern is located near Vicfred. The Pou de Madern is an intermittent artesian spring. It is carved into limestone and can be reached via stone steps. It has a stone vault. The site thus combines the spring’s water feature with worked natural stone, stepped access and a vaulted structure.

During heavy rainfall, the Pou de Madern can overflow. Its surroundings can then turn into a small lake. The water feature at the site is therefore not constant but can change significantly after abundant rainfall.

Part of the municipality of Sant Guim de la Plana belongs to the protected natural area of Valls del Sió-Llobregós. The landscape around Sant Guim de la Plana is characterised by dry farming. Extensive grain fields also shape it. Its paths invite visitors to go for walks. Between the protected natural area and the cultivated land lies a landscape in which nature and agriculture together define the immediate surroundings.

Events

The Festa Major de Sant Guim de la Plana takes place in August. The Pessebre Vivent de Sant Guim de la Plana provides a different seasonal highlight: it brings back to life lost professions that have disappeared from the villages of Catalonia.

More than 300 performers take part. They appear in 34 different scenes that move through the streets and houses of Segarra’s medieval town centre. The Pessebre Vivent is therefore conceived as an extensive performance whose scenes are not confined to a single interior space but are spread throughout the historic town centre.

Since 1982, the Pessebre Vivent has taken place during the Christmas holidays in all parts of the medieval town of Sant Guim de la Plana. The event thus combines the memory of vanished professions with a tradition that has existed since 1982 and an expansive performance space within the town.

The following town pages are also available: Sanaüja, Verdú, Figuerola de Meià, Montargull de la Vansa, Olius, Cava, Rialp, Aravell.

Getting Around

Two bus lines connect Sant Guim de la Plana and Vicfred with each other, as well as with Tàrrega, Guissona and other places. The lines mentioned therefore provide connections between the town, Vicfred and several other destinations.

When searching for a holiday apartment in Sant Guim de la Plana, the town can be kept in mind as a starting point for further travel planning, without reducing its historical, landscape and seasonal features to a single accommodation.

For the wider travel overview: Lleida.