This is a series of visit to the district of l’
Anoia, where some of the
most important historical figures in our history used to live, following the routes you will find in the app, “
Anoia, Terra de Castells”.
When the territory no longer formed the border with
Muslim-held lands, castles became the administrative centres for the new
lords' feudal dominions. This tour guides you through the various settings where, in the
13th century, agreements were made, and internal struggles took place, amongst the
Claramunt family, the
Cardona family,
king Jaume I and the
church which, taken together, constituted a series of interconnected events that would have a determining influence on the
castles of l'Anoia and its inhabitants.
At each castle you can learn about the history of each of the main
characters, such as
Guillem II de Claramunt,
Gueraua de Jorba, Jaume I el Conqueridor,
Guillem Sescorts and Berenguer Santa Oliva, the abbot of the monastery of Sant Cugat del Vallès.
CASTELLOLÍ CASTLEThis castle, the property of Guerau de Castellolí, was inherited by his granddaughter
Gueraua de Jorba, together with Òdena castle. Gueraua married
Guillem I de Cardona and this would open the doors to a source of power that would culminate under the rule of her son,
Ramon Folc IV de Cardona. Would you like to know how this story ends and what happened in the
following years? You can find out at
Castellolí castle. Outside the castle you will be able to see some of the walls and the remains of barrel vaults, a
four-sided tower and the remains of the former Romanesque church of Sant Vicenç.
CLARAMUNT CASTLEClaramunt castle, an imposing structure located at an altitude of 461 metres on the top of the
Guàrdia mountain range, was the residence of the
Claramunt family for centuries. Between the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th the
counts of Barcelona entrusted the Claramunts with the defence of l'Anoia against
Muslim incursions. Despite having always been on the side of the counts of Barcelona during the 12th and 13th centuries, the relationship took a turn for the worse when
Guillem II de Claramunt took part in a rebellion against Jaume I and the Cardona family. If you would like to learn more about this, visit
Claramunt castle where you can take a guided tour.
PIERA CASTLEIn 1265,
Guillem Sescorts was appointed by
king Jaume to be the administrator of
Piera castle, also known as the castle of Jaume I or Fontanet castle. In return Jaume I expected the family to receive and provide hospitality for
his court whenever necessary. Here you can also learn about the reign of Jaume I after his
conquest of Mallorca, during which Guillem II de Montcada i Bearn and Guillem de Claramunt, who were accompanying him, lost their lives. Jaume I was then able to impose his leadership and reign in the powers of the
Montcada,
Cardona and
Claramunt families. Guided tours are available.
If you can spend a longer time in the area surrounding
Igualada you could also visit the
castles in Òdena,
Cabrera,
Bedorç and
Freixe.
For more information about all these histories use the “
Anoia, Terra de Castells” app during your visits. You can download it for
iOS and
Android.
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