To stroll through the old town centre of Besalú is to automatically take a trip to the Middle Ages. The current layout of the town doesn’t correspond faithfully to its original state but, to a large extent, it does allow one to read the urban development of the middle ages with the important buildings present: the Church of the Monastery of Sant Pere of Besalú, the old pilgrims' hospital, the Casa Cornellà, the Church of Sant Vicenç or the Gothic Hall of la Cúria Reial palace. In the ‘Call’, the Jewish quarter, the main attraction is the Mikvah, one of the few remaining Jewish ritual baths and one of the best views of the river Fluvià.
But, without doubt, the symbol of the city is the Pont Vell the ‘Old Bridge’ of Besalú: a construction that is notable both for its dimensions and its appearance forming a right angle over the river. The oldest document in which the bridge is mentioned is from 1075, the likely date of its original construction. But the floods, the river surges and the defensive needs of the city made its reconstruction necessary in the 14th century, and it remained standing until the Civil War. The appearance of the current bridge is a reconstruction from the early 1960s.
The monumental importance of Besalú comes mainly from the great value of the whole complex, from its unity which makes it one of the most important and unique samples of medieval complexes in Catalonia.
To visit the ducal town of Montblanc is to make a tour of an open-air museum. The city was noted as an important trading centre during the middle ages and reached its highest point with the creation of the Duchy of Montblanc in 1387. This success is reflected in the wealth of monuments in the town.
In the 14th century, Montblanc enjoyed its time in the sun: it was the seventh largest city in Catalonia thanks to its political and economic weight. Proof of this was the holding of the Corts Generals the Spanish parliament, in the town four times and the creation of the Duchy. At this time the most emblematic works of Montblanc were begun, starting with its walled enclosure. Formed by an imposing set of towers, portals and ramparts crowned with battlements, the walls were taken advantage of throughout the modern age to build homes. It was not until the 20th century that the walls were restored and the additional buildings removed.
The Gothic church of Santa Maria, also known as the Cathedral of the Mountain due to its large size and its location at the top of a promontory, is another testimony to the medieval power of Montblanc. In the interior there is the altarpiece of Sant Bernat and Sant Bernabé, in polychrome stone from the 14th-century, which shows beautifully carved scenes from the life of the Saints.
For its part, the church-hospital of Sant Marçal is notable for the mural painting of Sant Cristòfol (15th century) and a Gothic sculpted window. The Alenyà Palace is the last major work which reflects the prosperous past of Montblanc; it is a Gothic-style building with a large main, round-arched portal and slender windows. The building, however, has been much modified over the years and is currently the headquarters of the Consell Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà (the County Council of Conca de Barberà).
Girona has many testimonies to its medieval past, a period of growth in which it became the second largest city in Catalonia with a population of 10,000 inhabitants (15th century). The old Roman walled town remained small and the city spread out on both sides of the Onyar.
Among the monumental heritage that reflects this growth is the Cathedral (11th – 18th century) which, with its large vaulted nave, is the widest vaulted Gothic space in the world. However, the first cathedral in Girona was the Basilica of Sant Feliu, which is currently one of the most representative Gothic buildings of the city, especially its slender bell tower (14th -16th century). Inside it preserves remarkable works of art, such as the eight pagan and Early-Christian sarcophagi (4th century) and the Recumbent Christ (14th century) by Master Aloi.
With regard to the monastery of Sant Daniel it is located in a wide green area close to the city and currently houses a community of Benedictine nuns. The Church contains the tomb of the Saint and the cloister is a beautiful example of Romanesque construction with Gothic additions.
Two kilometres along the River Galligants, stands another monastery: Sant Pere de Galligants, currently the Girona headquarters of the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya (Archaeological Museum of Catalonia). An example of Catalan Romanesque architecture, it is noted for the iconography of the capitals in the central nave and cloister.
Close to Sant Pere de Galligants are the Arab baths, public baths that also bear witness to the demographic growth and development of medieval Girona. They follow the model of the Roman baths, the Islamic baths and the Jewish mikvahs.
However, one of the greatest symbols of medieval Girona is the Call. Its formation began in the 12th century, starting from the Carrer de la Força, when Jewish families, who had previously lived around the Cathedral, were settled there. Major thinkers, such as the poet-philosopher, doctor and exegete Mosse ben Nahman, better known as Bonastruc ça Porta or Nahmanides, lived here. Up to 800 people came to live in the Girona Call and today it is one of the busiest areas of the city.
