The
castle of Cardona has dominated the highest point in the municipality since the 9th century, an ideal location for controlling the
valley of the river Cardoner and the salt mines. Between the 11th and 15th centuries it was the residence of the
lords of Cardona, but its importance as a residence gradually declined as it became, instead, a
strategic stronghold. In 1714, the castle of Cardona was the last fortress to surrender to the Bourbon troops in 1714, during the
War of the Spanish Succession.
Today, Cardona's three main features, the
castle, the
salt mines and the
town itself are all of great interest.
CARDONA CASTLE AND THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SANT VICENÇCardona castle was built in 886 on the orders of
Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy), but it reached the peak of its splendour during the
11th to 15th centuries when it was the residence of the lords of Cardona, the “
rich salt lords”. Some of the most noteworthy parts of the visit include the
Torre de la Minyona, the Pati Ducal and the
defensive bastions. It is here that you will also find one of the jewels of the early Catalan Romanesque, the
collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç, built in the 10th century to serve a community of canons.
CARDONA'S HISTORIC CENTREYou could start your visit of the town at the
Medieval Cardona Centre located in the Plaça de la Fira, in front of the
Town Hall. It provides an historical explanation of the
evolution of the town and the castle, from their origins to the construction of the
walled precinct. You could also follow a
guided tour around the most interesting sites such as the
Plaça de la Fira, the Plaça del Mercat, the
Plaça de Santa Eulàlia and the parish church of Sant Miquel.
THE SALT MOUNTAIN CULTURAL PARKFrom 1929 until 1990 this was one of the most important
potassium salt mines in the world, the
Mina Nieves de Cardona. Today it is a
great cultural facility for the
dissemination of knowledge about salt and the
salt outcrops in Cardona, a
unique place in the world. You'll also have the opportunity to take a
guided tour, or to see a
dramatisation intended mainly for families.
If you would like to go on all three visits you can do so with a
Cardona Ticket, which includes all three visits for a single price. You can buy the tickets online from '
entrades.cardonaturisme.cat' or at the
tourist office, the
Medieval Cardona Centre,
Cardona Castle or the
Salt Mountain Cultural Park.
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