Discover Solivella: Routes, Cultural Heritage and Catalan History

Routes and landscape

Variant 6 of the GR 175 of La Ruta del Cister passes through Solivella.

The Camino del Tallat runs in sections along the ridge of the Serra del Tallat. Further sections run along the southern slope of the Serra del Tallat. Those wishing to use the Camino del Tallat on foot can walk along it; it can be ridden by mountain bike.

From Solivella, various hiking and mountain-bike routes lead through agricultural landscapes. These landscapes contain dry-stone huts. Historic paths are also among the landscape features mentioned. Along the routes are viewpoints from which the view extends far across the comarca.

The description of the landscape thus combines open agricultural areas, the characteristic dry-stone huts and historic paths with the different sections of the Camino del Tallat. The view across the comarca is also one of the route elements mentioned, as are the two explicitly stated means of travel: on foot and by mountain bike.

Other destinations include Gratallops, La Figuera, Santa Coloma De Queralt, Margalef, Vinyols, Mont-Roig Del Camp, Riudoms and La Morera De Montsant.

Culture and history

The courtyard of Castell dels Llorac contains a former cistern. It was used as a water reservoir for Solivella. It still serves this function today.

The preserved walls and traces of Castell dels Llorac are from a castle built by the Llorac family. The castle was built in the Catalan Flamboyant Gothic style. Its construction dates from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Castell dels Llorac is integrated into the Museu Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà, or MCCB for short.

The present-day parish church, Església de l'Assumpció de la Mare de Déu, in Solivella is in the Baroque style. The building was erected in 1769 using the stones from the former church.

The Ruta dels Murals decorates the streets of Solivella with large-scale pictorial works.

This provides several clearly dated and named points of reference for the history of the town: the Llorac family’s castle and its date of construction, the former cistern with its function as stated to this day, and the present-day parish church built in 1769.

Festivals

The Festa del Sagrat Cor is celebrated in Solivella on 9 September. The Consell Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà declared it to be of regional interest.

Solivella’s Festa Major is celebrated around 15 August. It takes place in honour of the Mare de Déu d’Agost.

The annual calendar therefore includes two separate festivals with different dates and associations: the Festa Major takes place around 15 August and honours the Mare de Déu d’Agost, while the Festa del Sagrat Cor is celebrated on 9 September. The latter festival also has the stated status of regional interest.

Geographical setting

Solivella lies on a natural passage between Andorra and the beaches of the Costa Daurada. As a natural passage, the town also lies between the monasteries of Poblet and Vallbona de les Monges. Poblet and Vallbona de les Monges are two of the three major monasteries of La Ruta del Cister.

The geographical setting thus connects the town with two different directions and with the two monasteries of La Ruta del Cister mentioned above. Together with variant 6 of this route passing through Solivella, this creates a clearly stated relationship between the town, the monastery route and the two regional points of reference.

For the main travel overview: Tarragona.